• Global Leader in Number of Health Resorts, 2nd in Europe in Spa Tourism

Austria has emerged as a world leader in the fast-growing wellness and health tourism business sector, as announced today by Austrian Business Agency, the national investment promotion company.

“Austria was one of the first countries in Europe to have adopted the concept of wellness and act upon it quickly“, says Wolfgang Nahrstedt, tourism professor at the University of Bielefeld in Germany. “The country effectively appeals to its key tourist target groups, positioning itself by offering wellness which unites the body, spirit, fantasy, culture and nature.”

Austria has more than 550 wellness hotels and resorts, making it the global leader in proportion to population, ahead of the rest of Europe, the USA and Asia, according to Christian Werner, Vienna-based tourism and health care expert and publisher of the international “Relax Guides“ series.

The country has a 10% share of the European spa market, the second highest in Europe behind Germany, according to statistics in the year 2000 supplied by the European Spas Association (ESPA).

Furthermore, the capital city of Vienna is ranked second in the world by ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association) for the number of association meetings in the period 1999-2001. Despite having a population of only eight million, Austria continually ranks among the top ten in international congress tourism. Medical congresses generally account for a third of all business in this MICE segment (meetings, incentives, conventions, events).

Wellness holidays represent a future-oriented growth business. They already make an important contribution to Austria’s tourism branch, accounting for more than 1 billion Euro in revenues per year.

Tourism revenues now account for 7.5% of Austria’s GDP, according to the Vienna-based Institute of Economic Research. 10% of all tourists who come to Austria, or more than 11 million people annually, travel to Austria to take a health-oriented vacation. This compares to only 4% in 1994, according to the Austrian Visitor’s Survey 2000 implemented by the Austrian National Tourist Office.

The market for wellness and health vacations in Germany, which accounts for about a third of all tourists visiting Austria, now amounts to 17-19 billion Euro, says Wefa, the Frankfurt-based market research institute, and is expected to grow considerably in the years to come. The German Wellness Association predicts that the number of wellness holidays will increase four-fold by 2009, and a study by multinational travel company TUI says 40% of German citizens are interested in fitness, beauty and health tourism. Around 20 million Europeans already visit at least one spa per year, according to ESPA.

The number of Austrian wellness hotels and spas has increased seven-fold over the last five years, according to the Relax Guide 2002. The study “Destination Management Monitor Austria 2002“, carried out by the Austrian Hotel Association, concludes that Austrian regions specialising in health tourism, particularly spas and health resorts, post the highest annual (double-digit) growth rates.

An increasing number of foreign companies have penetrated the Austrian wellness vacation and health tourism sector. Berlin-based Kursana Residences, a subsidiary of the German Dussmann Group, plans to expand its current network of 5 senior citizens residences in Austria, which attract a clientele from across Europe, as a response to the ageing population in Europe. Firms such as Helios and Fresenius have set up clinics in Austria, and international hotel groups such as Dorint, Arabella Sheraton and Intercontinental have set up wellness hotels or spas in Austria.

”Foreign investors with the right know-how and innovative ideas have optimal future perspectives in wellness and health-related tourism in Austria”, says René Siegl, Managing Director of Austrian Business Agency. “

Austria has an unmatched infrastructure when it comes to wellness holidays and health-related tourism. For one thing, the country is ranked number one in the world for quality of life and its health care services, according to the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2002.

The top-notch quality of Austria’s health care system, medical personnel, researchers and facilities have gained an international reputation. Austria also has free capacity, with 6.6 hospital beds per 1,000 inhabitants, the second highest in the EU and well above the 4.3 average, according to a comparative study on health care systems by the European Parliament in 1998.

Austria is rated third globally in its educational system fulfilling the needs of business by the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2002, reflected in the series of colleges specialising in health tourism which have been set up in Austria in recent years and the high-level qualifications of employees in the tourist industry.

The country also boasts an intact natural environment (e.g. clean air and water, Alpine climate), conducive to health and healing. Finally, Austria is in the European vanguard of marketing its wellness and health tourism. It has pioneered in setting up a nationwide cluster led by Vienna-based “Austria Wellbeing Destination of Europe” to unite key businesses, develop a seal of quality, conduct research, expand health tourism services and market Austria internationally.

Culture, environmental quality, high living standards, security, classic dwellings and shopping - Austria has it all and more, when it comes to everyday quality of life. No wonder that the World Competitiveness Yearbook 2003 ranks Austria number 2 in quality of life.

Source : www.internationalhotelbrokers.com