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ME tourist numbers to Austria rise 35pc

Dubai, May 12, 2013

Austria recorded a total 712,514 overnights from the Middle East in 2012, reflecting an increase of 35.2 per cent over the previous year, said a top official.

“The majority of Middle Eastern guests in Austria came from Saudi Arabia (29 per cent) and the UAE (28 per cent),” added Klaus Ehrenbrandtner, regional director for Asia & Middle East of the Austrian National Tourist Office (ANTO). “In 2012, Austria counted a total of 218,070 arrivals, marking an increase of 36.3 per cent.”

“Saudi Arabia was the source country with the biggest increase for Austrian tourism in 2012 with an increase of 67.0 per cent arrivals and 69.2 per cent overnights as compared to the previous year. We are expecting this momentum to continue through-out this year,” he continued.

“Austria has grown faster than any other European country in this market. We are growing twice as fast as other popular European destinations like Germany or Switzerland. ANTO’s main objective is promoting the holiday country Austria and to secure and expand Austria’s competitiveness in cooperation with all Austrian tourism partners.”

Ehrenbrandtner pointed out that 2012 showed the best results for Austrian tourism in the last 20 years, and the country has become a sort after destination for the audience especially from the Middle East.

In the last 10 years, the number of guests from the Middle East visiting Austria has grown by 664.6 per cent and the number of overnights generated by them has grown by 519.3 per cent.

Due to the increasing demand for trips to Austria from the GCC, there are new connections on offer both to Munich and to Vienna: Lufthansa will increase its Riyadh-Munich service from three to five flights a week beginning May 16.

The Munich service will also connect Jeddah via Riyadh. Kuwait Airways plans to connect its flights to Istanbul and Frankfurt with a leg to Vienna in August and September, while Turkish Airlines will start direct flights to Salzburg City starting May 28.

ANTO participated at the recently concluded Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2013, the region’s leading travel industry showcase, in Dubai. – TradeArabia News Service
 




Tags: Saudi Arabia | UAE | Middle East | Austria | tourists |

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