Arrivals, overnight stays

The highest drop in nights spent in absolute figures was recorded among guests from Germany (-18.17 million), the most important market of origin for Austrian tourism, followed by the Netherlands (-2.94 million), Switzerland and Liechtenstein (-1.79 million), the Czech Republic (-1.18 million), Belgium (-1.16 million) and the United Kingdom (-2.20 million).

By types of accommodation, in hotels and similar accommodations the decrease was over 40%. In commercial holiday dwellings and private holiday dwellings the decrease was 22.6% or 23.6%.

The decrease by federal states varied. With -73.9%, Vienna was hit hardest, while Carinthia (-17.0%), Burgenland (-27.3%) and Styria (-24.6%) closed the calendar year 2020 with significantly lower declines. While nights spent by non-resident guests decreased in all federal states, there was an increase in resident guests in Carinthia (+5.4%).

In the summer season 2020 54 million nights spent were reported, a decrease of 31.8% compared to summer 2019. Due to the measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of nights spent by non-resident guests fell by 43.2% to 31.63 million, and that of residents by 4.7% to 22.20 million. The number of arrivals (= number of guests) reflects the negative trend in nights spent in the summer season 2020 even more clearly and also decreased significantly by 42.6% compared to the previous season to 14.70 million. Non-resident arrivals in particular decreased by 7.55 million. (-56.1%) but also the resident ones with 7.14 million (-14.9%).

Around 70% of nights spent by non-resident guests were attributable to Germany, the most important market of origin (summer 2019: 53%), with nights spent by German guests in summer 2020 falling by around a quarter (25.6%) to 21.94 million. Many other important markets of origin developed negatively as a result of the measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic: Nights spent by guests from the Netherlands (-30.3%), Switzerland and Liechtenstein (-31.5%) or the Czech Republic (-36.4%) significantly declined.

Due to the closings of the gastronomy and hotel industry beginning mid of March 2020, the hotels and similar establishments recorded a drop in nights spent by 38.9% in summer season 2020 compared to the respective period in 2019. Broken down by type of accommodation, the following picture emerged: 5-4-star establishments: -38.3%; 3-star hotels: -39.3%; 2-/1-star businesses: -41.0% and commercial holiday apartments/houses: -12.3%. Private accommodations also recorded a drop in nights spent in the 2020 summer season (-15.5%). The average length of stay in the current season was 3.7 nights.

The number of nights spent in the winter season 2019/20 dropped by 18.1% to 59.68 million compared to the previous season 2018/19. Almost no nights spent were registered in the last one and a half months of the 2019/20 winter season due to the shutdown of accommodation establishments and border closings since the middle of March 2020.

The number of nights spent by guests from abroad reached 46.76 million, which is 17.1% less than in the winter season 2018/2019. Nights spent by residents fell by 21.8% (12.93 million). With 22.32 million (-17.0%) around 37.4% of all nights spent in the winter season 2019/2020 were from guests from Germany. Other important markets of origin such as the Netherlands (-8.8%), the United Kingdom (-23.3%), Switzerland and Liechtenstein (-21.1%) and the Czech Republic (-15.1%) also showed significant losses.

In hotels and similar establishments (share of nights spent: 61.4%) a decrease of 20.0% in nights spent (compared to the winter season 2018/2019) was recorded. In 5/4-star, 3-star and 2-/1-star establishments high declines in nights spent were reported (-19.3%, -20.8% and -21.0%). Commercial holiday dwellings (share: 11.8%) showed the lowest losses (-10.1%).