Vienna, world’s most livable city, hosts 5.8 Mn tourists in 2013
Looks to double Indian tourists by 2020

Mumbai Vienna February 25, 2014

Vienna, ranked the world’s most livable city for the fifth consecutive year, played host to record 5.8 million tourists in 2013, 4.1% more than in 2012. This represents a new all-time high for the city.

Vienna, the city of music and green parks, set yet another record with 12.7 million visitor overnight stays, a growth of 3.7% from 2012.

"The increase in overnight stays reflects Vienna attractiveness for visitors across the globe,” says Norbert Kettner, director of the Vienna Tourist Board.

The historic center of Vienna has been added to UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage list. Vienna is home to about 2,000 coffee houses, with many of the traditional ones in the old city center. The Vienna State Opera offers over 50 operas and ballet works amounting to 300 days per season.

"The profile of the tourist arrivals in Vienna's mirrors the global economic situation, as we have seen a strong increase from emerging -- particularly Asian -- regions,” adds Kettner.

Tourists from Germany, Austria, Russia, the US and Italy visit the city in the largest numbers. The city beckons honeymooners, conference attendees and young tourists from India. The numbers of Indian tourists have doubled in the last 6 years. Vienna offers special packages for young Indian tourists through a tie up with travel company Thomas Cook.

Vienna continued to be one of the world's top congress metropolises with the International Congress and Convention Association ranking the Austrian capital as World’s No. 1 congress city for the eighth time in succession. Vienna hosts nearly 200 international conferences in a year. To meet the growing demand for accommodation Vienna city added 3,450 beds in 2013 to take the total to nearly 59,000 beds.

Vienna has 850 parks (280 of them Imperial) and 1,730 acres of vineyards, in addition to 1,716 bridges. Vienna is the world’s only metropolis that grows a significant number of vineyards within its city limits. Homely taverns serve delicacies and wine. Vineyard tours allow a first-hand experience of vineyards and wine cellars

Vienna voted the world’s most livable city by Mercer
Vienna was named the world’s most livable city by global consulting firm Mercer in the third week of February 2014. Mercer’s annual quality of life survey that covers 223 major cities saw Vienna bag the title of the world’s most livable city for the fifth year in a row. Zurich took second place, followed by Auckland.

Munich is in fourth place, followed by Vancouver, which is also the highest-ranking city in North America. Ranking 25 globally, Singapore is the highest-ranking Asian city, whereas Dubai (73) ranks first across Middle East and Africa.

The Mercer study looked at a range of factors including the political, social and economic environment, medical services, education, and infrastructure facilities including public transportation, power and water utilities. Leisure facilities such as restaurants, theaters, cinemas, sports facilities, availability of consumer goods ranging from food to automobiles, and environmental factors including green space and air quality were also taken into consideration.

One of the best ways of enjoying a city is to experience its culture. Probably no other place exemplifies this better than Vienna.

Notwithstanding the fact that Vienna is located in the heart of Europe, it ranks among the world's safest cities. It’s against this backdrop that the place comes across as being artistically alive. The legacy of Mozart, Beethoven and Strauss lives on, as Vienna hosts over 15,000 concerts annually.

Those with nimble feet can enjoy themselves at the City of Waltzes, another name for Vienna. Each year more than 450 balls take place here, and the three-quarter rhythm is supplemented by more contemporary sounds, offering enjoyable dancing for everyone.

Notes to the Editors:
Indian visitors usually cover Vienna, Budapest and Prague, the three major cities of the former Habsburg Empire known as the ‘Golden Triangle,’ by availing a common Schengen visa.

A Schengen Visa that allows Indians to visit Vienna can be obtained through VFS Offices for Austria conveniently located in New Delhi, Jalandhar, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.

An eight-hour direct flight connects Delhi with Vienna six times a week, operated by Austrian Airlines, which has a code share agreement with Air India. Mumbai and other Indian major cities are conveniently connected to Vienna by a one-stop connection on many international carriers.

Around 1,000 photos for editorial use are available for free download at www.viennaphoto.com. To register, please click New customers under the Login section of the site. Once registration has been completed you will be sent your personal access code.

About The Vienna Tourist Board
The Vienna Tourist Board, the official destination marketing agency for the tourism sector of the city, provides many service offerings, tips and information on Viennese tourist businesses. The Vienna Tourist Board set up in 1955 under public law as directed by the Vienna Tourist Support Law, is run like a private enterprise with flat hierarchies.

Mrs. Renate Brauner, Vice-Mayor of Vienna and Councilor of Finance and Economic Affairs, serves as the President of the Vienna Tourist Board since March 2007. The position of Director of Tourism is occupied by Mr. Norbert Kettner since September 2007. The Board of Directors (officially: The Tourism Commission) consists of the president, two vice presidents and 15 additional members, the latter mostly assigned by the City of Vienna. The Vienna Tourist Board is financed by local taxes on hotels in Vienna, the general city budget and its own revenues.

Further information:
Sanjiv Kataria
Strategic Communications and PR Counsel
+91 9810048095