What could be better than marketing your home country?”

Astrid Steharnig-Staudinger has headed Österreich Werbung, the Austrian National Tourist Office, since May 2023 and is in charge of promoting Austria’s tourism.

Multilingualism – five languages in all – is just one of the qualifications Astrid Steharnig-Staudinger brought with her for one of the most important jobs in the country. After all, the 45-year-old Carinthian who lives in Vienna is responsible for the image and advertising presence that wants to convince tourists to spend their holidays in Austria. Before that, the mother of two worked successfully for WienTourismus, the Falkensteiner Group and at her own company Linking Brands. Steharnig-Staudinger allows insights into her philosophy, how she assesses and wants to shape the future of tourism.

Skills shortages, climate change, inflation – would you have wished for calmer waters when you took office, or do you enjoy the challenge?
Astrid Steharnig-Staudinger: The situation you describe did not just suddenly occur this year. Tourism thrives on change and challenges. The industry is characterised by its ability to adapt and reinvent itself. This also gives rise to innovations. We saw that during the Covid pandemic. And yes, I am an enthusiastic advertiser of Austria and look forward to this wonderful task and the challenge. Otherwise, I would not have ventured into self- employment 15 years ago. I believed in myself, and I was successful. And it is with this view that I also approach the management of Österreich Werbung.

Why did the job as head of Österreich Werbung appeal to you?
Steharnig-Staudinger: What could be better than marketing your home country? In this job you can make so much happen. Together with the entire industry, you can shape the image of Austria as a tourist destination abroad and inspire people for this great country. I think it is necessary to bring the entire diversity of Austria into the spotlight. Because there are so many different target groups with different demands in the various markets we serve. To support tourism in Austria on its path to success with contemporary communication is a great task that excites me very much.

Minister for Tourism Susanne Kraus-Winkler described you as a strategic mastermind. Do you agree and if so, what are your strengths?
Steharnig-Staudinger: I am a visionary with wise foresight and think outside the box. I am convinced that in today’s working world and especially in tourism, three aspects are essential: Adaptability, an open mindset and empathy. These are three qualities that I see in myself, in all modesty. And I am a good bridge builder. Our everyday life is becoming more and more technological, changes are now happening every week. That’s why it’s important to retain the ability not to perceive change as a threat, but to integrate it into everyday life and to deal with it. In addition, it is essential, especially for our industry, to put the human element in the foreground. Technological innovations may make us more efficient, but the personal experience, the conversation with the host or the charm of the friendly service staff cannot be replaced by machines. We as an industry will only be able to navigate these challenges and the partial contradictions together.

With your company Linking Brands you have embraced the idea of networking and cooperation. Can you now also use this at Österreich Werbung?
Steharnig-Staudinger: With my company I have brought together very different players who at first glance had little to do with each other, for example a well-known car manufacturer with a Tyrolean tourist region. This has resulted in a very successful cooperation. I would like to carry this idea forward. Because only through the joint use of our strengths is it possible to bring out the best for our tourism. I would like to establish a culture of cooperation, which is the only way to be competitive. We at Österreich Werbung can act as a platform and catalyst; provincial tourism associations, tourism boards and businesses can use their individual strengths where it is most effective. In addition, there are numerous projects in the field of digitisation and sustainability where we must work together rather than side by side. Here, too, cooperation must be the order of the day to bring Austria as a tourist destination to the top of the world.

One of the current trends is cycle tourism. Is there a nationwide strategy or is this the task of the regional tourism offices?
Steharnig-Staudinger: This year, for the fifth time, Österreich Werbung has launched the ‘Cooperation on Cycling’. We work together with provincial tourism associations, this year for the first time with eight of them, on the design and implementation of the campaigns. The cycling experts of the federal provinces are contributing their knowledge from everyday practice, which is an essential factor for success. This year, for the first time, we have taken up the trend sport of gravel biking, which already has a large and growing community behind it. Together with the provincial tourism associations, we designed an Austria-wide gravel tour under the name ‘Gravel Austria’, which has its own landing page online. This is an example of how we deal with current trends and integrate them into campaigns, but above all how we develop them further.

Österreich Werbung has also been using artificial intelligence for a few months. How do you use AI and what can the AI-based chatbot do?
Steharnig-Staudinger: The ‘Austria Concierge’ on our b2c website is intended to serve potential guests as a source of inspiration for their holiday in Austria. It answers the most common questions about holidays in Austria and draws on the content of our b2c website, enhanced by generative AI services. That is one thing. On the other hand, it also helps us to learn – namely from the questions of our guests. In this way, we recognise what is important to the guests and what potential trends there could be. The chatbot is currently still in development, but it is really impressive how well it works already.

Many target markets are overseas. Do you see any problems here due to flight shaming and rising energy costs?
Steharnig-Staudinger: About ten percent of our guests travel by air. The recent rise in air fares has not yet had any visible effect. The affluent target group that travels by air from the United States or Asia, for example, continues to be able to afford holidays. This is the same effect that we see in our local markets: Travelling is a valuable commodity that people do not want to be deprived of, even in a difficult economic environment. As far as sustainability is concerned, a lot is happening in the aviation industry. Aircrafts consume less fuel, and the incipient use of so-called Sustainable Aviation Fuels, which are supposed to enable CO2-neutral flying, lead to less energy consumption in air traffic overall. Apart from that, our mission at Österreich Werbung is to market Austria as a tourism destination worldwide. This is very important for the creation of value in Austria. And, of course, we also have to make sure that there is a sustainable offer in Austria.

How do you see the future of congress tourism since many events are now held online or as hybrid events?
Steharnig-Staudinger: From our Meeting Industry Report Austria (MIRA), published in June in cooperation with the Austrian Convention Bureau, we know that last year we almost reached pre-Covid figures again in terms of events and congresses. Congress tourism has proven to be resilient and innovative. During the Covid pandemic, online events and hybrid events have of course shown us what is possible, how efficient we can be, and many aspects of this will certainly remain. However, I assume that at events where the intensive exchange within the industry, networking and also the entertainment factor are in the foreground – the human aspect, so to speak – a physical meeting cannot be replaced. That is why I believe that congress tourism has a great future ahead of it, even if it is different than before the pandemic. We are currently working together with the countries and the Austrian Convention Bureau on a convention strategy for the future.

Does winter tourism have to reposition itself, reinvent itself? Where do you see the potential here?
Steharnig-Staudinger: The effects of climate change are noticeable and visible. But as far as winter sports tourism in general is concerned, public perceptions do not necessarily correspond with the facts. In the worst-case scenarios, winters in the mountains are expected to be warmer by 1.4 degrees Celsius by 2050. This corresponds to an increase in the snow line of about 200 metres – winter sports are thus secured for the next decades in most classic ski resorts. In addition, about 70 percent of Austria’s ski slopes can be covered with artificial snow. Some low-lying ski resorts will have to consider alternatives in the coming decades. Here, a joint effort of the entire industry and incentive systems are needed so that the potential loss of added value that they face without classic winter sports tourism can be compensated by alternative offers. These include, for example, hiking or mountain biking. There are already some regions that offer great alternatives.

How can Austria remain an affordable holiday destination?
Steharnig-Staudinger: The inflation of the past months has not only affected Austria, but also other countries. In an international comparison, Austria is still a holiday destination with an excellent price-performance ratio – there is something for every budget, there is accommodation for every need. Our country is not only multifaceted in terms of its countryside.

The best three reasons for a holiday in Austria are…
Steharnig-Staudinger: the countryside, the people and the attitude to life.

Where and in which season do you like to go on holiday in Austria, and where will your next winter holidays take you?
Steharnig-Staudinger: Basically, I enjoy travelling in Austria at any time of year. That also has something to do with the fact that I am regularly on holiday in Carinthia and visit my husband’s family in Tyrol. This covers a large part of Austria, as we also make stops in the other provinces. Our winter holidays take us to Tyrol and Salzburg. I’m an avid skier and I’m sure I’ll stop off in all provinces where skiing is possible.