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Home » Austria Travel News » Austria Joins Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, United Kingdom in Driving Record-Breaking Winter Tourism Growth Fueled by Booming American Travelers in 2024–25 Season Saturday, May 31, 2025Austria has solidified its position alongside traditional heavyweights like Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the United Kingdom in propelling record-breaking growth in winter tourism during the 2024–25 season. This surge is driven not only by robust visitor numbers from these established European markets but also by a significant increase in American travelers discovering Austria’s world-class ski resorts and alpine experiences. The country’s combination of reliable snowfall, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and expanding access through popular ski pass programs has attracted a diverse international audience. These factors, coupled with Austria’s enduring reputation for exceptional winter sports and luxury hospitality, have fueled unprecedented overnight stays and visitor arrivals, cementing its role as a global winter tourism powerhouse.Austria’s winter tourism sector has demonstrated remarkable resilience and strength during the 2024–25 season, approaching near-record levels despite facing global economic challenges and geopolitical uncertainties. According to early statistics from Statistik Austria, the country saw around 72.25 million overnight stays between November 2024 and April 2025. This marks a 1.6% rise compared to the previous season and comes close to the pre-pandemic high of 72.92 million set in 2018–19.Visitor arrivals also reached new peaks, increasing by 2.8% to total 20.55 million guests during the winter months. This growth was driven by a combination of both domestic and international travelers. Austrian residents accounted for 16.5 million overnight stays, while foreign visitors contributed 55.75 million. Such balanced growth across local and international markets points to a broad and steady recovery within Austria’s tourism sector.The alpine regions remain the backbone of Austria’s winter tourism industry. The western provinces of Tyrol and Salzburg, famed for their ski resorts and winter sports attractions, together accounted for nearly 58% of all overnight stays—approximately 41.86 million—which represents a slight increase compared to the prior season. Meanwhile, urban centers are also gaining traction; Vienna saw a significant 10.3% rise in winter overnight stays, boosted by cultural events and urban tourism. Other areas such as Burgenland (+3.3%), Lower Austria (+2.0%), and Styria (+0.1%) also recorded modest gains, demonstrating that winter tourism benefits are spreading beyond the mountains to more regions across the country.Austria’s winter visitors primarily come from neighboring European countries. Germany, the Netherlands, and Austria itself together made up 68% of winter overnight stays, totaling roughly 49.23 million nights. Germany remains Austria’s largest international market, generating 25.9 million overnight stays, though this figure saw a slight 1.1% decline from the previous year. The Netherlands held its position as the second-largest source market with 6.83 million overnight stays, up by 2.5%.The busiest months were January and February, which together accounted for 33.21 million overnight stays—nearly half (46%) of the winter season’s total. December experienced a strong start with a 10.9% year-on-year increase in overnight stays. April proved exceptional, with a 23.9% rise to 8.16 million stays. This growth was primarily influenced by Easter occurring in April this year, compared to March last year. International visitors were key contributors, making up 70% of April bookings with an overall 32.6% increase. The most notable increases came from Germany (+57%), Switzerland and Liechtenstein (+21.8%), and the UK (+10.4%).Despite these encouraging winter figures, the period from January to April 2025 showed a slight cooling. Austria registered 54.05 million overnight stays during these four months, down 0.8% compared to the same timeframe in 2024. This decline was mainly due to a 1.1% drop in foreign visitor overnight stays, while domestic tourism remained stable with a slight 0.2% rise.Industry experts regard these results as a solid confirmation of Austria’s continued leadership as a premier winter destination. Its reputation for top-notch skiing conditions, diverse alpine sports offerings, and luxury winter resorts remains well-established. Coupled with dependable snowfall, modern tourism infrastructure, and a loyal European visitor base, Austria is well-positioned to weather economic headwinds—provided favorable weather conditions continue.Austria has joined leading European countries in driving record-breaking winter tourism growth for the 2024–25 season, boosted by a surge of American travelers attracted to its top-tier ski resorts and world-class alpine experiences. Reliable snow, modern infrastructure, and expanded ski pass access have fueled this unprecedented rise in visitors and overnight stays.Looking forward, attention now turns to more detailed data expected soon, particularly concerning visitors from the United States. The recent inclusion of six Austrian ski resorts in the Epic Pass program—a popular multi-resort ski pass—could push American visitor numbers past the one-million milestone for the first time. This development is poised to enhance Austria’s attractiveness to North American travelers and further cement its status as a leading global winter tourism destination.
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