Vienna Tourism Enjoys Record Year in 2012

Vienna recorded 12.3 million overnight stays in 2012, up 7.5% on 2011.

In 2012 Vienna's top ten tourism markets included Germany, with 2,399,000 overnight stays (+1%) in first place, followed by Austria (2,241,000 overnight stays, +7%), Italy (643,000, -2%), Russia (634,000, +22%) and the USA (618,000, +10%).

In sixth to tenth place were the UK (429,000, +9%), Switzerland (384,000, +11%), Spain (379,000, - 2%), France (368,000, +7%) and Japan (309,000, +12%).

Vienna also saw strong year-on-year growth from China (198,000 overnight stays, +40%), Turkey (129,000, +25%), Brazil (111,000, +39%), Saudi Arabia (74,000, +63%), the United Arab Emirates (71,000, +14%) and other Middle Eastern countries (101,000, +13%).

Vienna's accommodation capacity grew in the period between December 2011 and December 2012 by 2,600 beds (+5%) to around 55,000 beds, but there was still a slight increase in the average bed occupancy rate to 56.7% (2011: 56.5%), whilst room occupancy rates remained unchanged at 70%.

In 2012 Vienna was once again confirmed, now for the seventh time in a row, as the number one conference city by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), with 181 international meetings in 2011.

"In 2012 Vienna continued to develop its international outlook as a destination. The 150th birthday of Gustav Klimt no doubt contributed to the result," said Norbert Kettner, director of the Vienna Tourist Board.