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.
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© Pamela Russmann
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.
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© Marco Rossi
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.
![](http://weltmeister.cc/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/06_Astrid_Steharnig-Staudinger_c_Pamela_Russmann-683x1024.png)
© Pamela Russmann
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.
![](http://weltmeister.cc/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Rad_Follower_Marco_Rossi-1024x576.png)
© Marco Rossi
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.