Outstanding 2025 Results Underline Vienna’s Tourism Strength
2025 was the most successful year for city tourism in Vienna since records began. The city recorded 20 million overnight stays, an increase of six percent compared with 2024. A total which once again surpassed the previous record. The positive trend continued on the economic side of the ledger, too. Accommodation revenue for the full year reached around EUR 1.5bn, significantly higher than the previous year. Tourism in Vienna has once again proven to be a strong driver of value creation and employment.
Generating an annual induced economic impact of EUR 5.3 billion, Vienna accounts for around one fifth of Austria’s total tourism economy. Tourism-related spending amounts to EUR 6.82bn. This makes Vienna one of the strongest tourism regions in the country. At the same time, the broad social support that underpins this success is clear: nine out of ten Viennese view tourism positively, and just as many visitors would recommend the city to others.
Around the world, Vienna is synonymous with excellent quality of life, cultural diversity and a cosmopolitan outlook. Year after year, the city consistently ranks among the leading locations for international congresses and diplomacy. With good reason. Special thanks go to all of the stakeholders in Vienna’s visitor economy, whose dedication has made this success possible against the backdrop of testing geopolitical conditions.
In economically challenging times, it is the task of policymakers to set clear priorities. We focus on markets that deliver sustainable value and consciously strengthen the international connections that bring purchasing power to Vienna. The vast majority of our visitors come from abroad, so international accessibility remains a central factor for the location.
At the same time, through our tried-and-tested partnership with Austrian Federal Railways and its partners, we are continuing to capitalize on Vienna’s status as Europe’s best-connected city for train travel: one-third of Vienna’s guests now prefer to travel to the capital by rail, marking a resounding success for our “Optimum Tourism” Visitor Economy Strategy, which we unveiled in 2025.
This approach follows a clear guiding principle. Our tourism strategy focuses on quality, year-round tourism, and a balanced relationship between the interests of the local population and the expectations of our visitors. Vienna represents a model that defines and shapes growth, rather than chasing after it.
Since 2025, Vienna has been a member of the UN Tourism International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories, a global network that tracks and strengthens sustainable tourism development through clear performance indicators. This gives us greater transparency, strengthens cooperation at the destination, and ensures that tourism will continue to contribute to the quality of life in our city in the future.
Find out more at https://optimum.vienna.info
Barbara Novak
Deputy Mayor and Executive City Councillor of Finance, Business, Labour, International Affairs and Digital Innovation
President, Vienna Tourist Board
Norbert Kettner
CEO Vienna Tourist Board