Austria at ease
Growing affluence in Poland has lead to yearly increases in leisure travel to Austria and the trend is expected to continue
What was once a highly lucrative destination for Poles in search of unofficial employment has now become a popular holiday destination. Data on the number of Poles travelling to Austria show its popularity is increasing every year. Poles are finding out the country has a lot to offer, no matter what the season
It is commonly held that Austria is one of the most popular skiing destination for Poles. "From the Polish point of view, it seems like all skiers go to Austria," said Franca-Maria Kobenter, director at the Austrian National Tourist Office (UdÖW) in Poland. Austrians can afford to take all of those Poles for granted, though. Kobenter noted that at least 10 other nations are of higher priority for the UdÖW. Nonetheless, according to data from the Austrian National Statistical Office, the number of Poles visiting Austria is growing.
Big numbers
The year 2006 saw over 200,000 Poles visit Austria, some 10,000 more than the previous year and nearly 30,000 more than in 2004, according to UdÖW. The number of bednights - total number of occupied beds in hospitality venues - Poles spent in Austria from January to October 2007 reached nearly 900,000. Kobenter hopes that this year the number of bednights spent by Poles in Austria will reach a record high of one million, approaching the figures for tourists from Hungary or the Czech Republic - 1.4 and 1.2 million respectively.
"There are so many Poles who go skiing every year that Poland cannot serve them all. ... The infrastructure in Poland is not satisfactory," said Kobenter.
Sławomir Szwajcarzewski, owner of travel agency Travelone.pl, has noted a similar trend. He estimated that the number of Polish tourists going to Austria on holiday increases 20 to 40 percent per year. Szwajcarzewski attributed this increase to the fact that Poles' salaries are growing and it is becoming more affordable for them to take vacations abroad.
"People are getting wealthier every year and they often choose to travel abroad," he said. Moreover, an increasing number of Poles who live and work abroad are opting for holidays in other countries and bringing their families from Poland with them.
Inflated numbers
The data from the Institute of Tourism in Poland is less optimistic, however. According to Jerzy Łaciak, a manager at the Institute's statistical research department, the numbers of Poles traveling to Austria are less impressive than what is widely reported. He ranked Austria in fifth place in terms of popularity for Polish tourists during the 2006/2007 winter season, with only 50,000 choosing the country as their holiday destination. Slovakia was the most popular destination, followed by Germany and the UK.
Łaciak also expressed doubts about the number of Poles reportedly skiing. "When I read articles in newspapers about how much Poles love skiing, I find that the numbers are exaggerated," he said, suggesting that these figures could reflect the number of people who claim to have been skiing but do not go every year. He believed that the total number of Poles who go skiing each season is around 400,000, though the figure might reach 700,000.
Slope superiority
Nonetheless, a huge number of tourists travel to Austria each year. In the first three quarters of 2007, over 18 million foreign tourists visited the country, according to the Austrian National Statistical Office. So what are the biggest draws?
"You are sure to see snow," said Szwajcarzewski, and Kobenter agreed. She added that the skiing season in Austria begins in December and goes on until the beginning of April. This allows plenty of time to plan a holiday. After arriving, it usually turns out that there's space to be away from the crowds.
"Things are better organized logistically and spatially [than they are in Poland]," said Szwajcarzewski, explaining that a 10 km ski run in Austria isn't uncommon, while in Poland there aren't many that exceed even two kilometers.
Long ski slopes are typical of any Alpine country, but Kobenter crowed that Austria offers the most modern and exceptionally well-organized ski lifts, with capacities ranging between 10,000 and 24,000 people an hour. These are mostly connected via a network and can be accessed with just one ski pass rather than separate tickets for each lift. Szwajcarzewski also noted that compared with France, which is largely popular with advanced skiers, Austria offers a wide choice of locations for proficient skiers and beginners alike.
From the Polish point of view, transport is another factor in choosing Austria as a holiday destination. "As many as 95 percent of people choose to drive to Austria themselves," said Szwajcarzewski. The state of Polish roads leaves a lot be desired, but as soon as one crosses the border the journey is easy and surprisingly short. This is a particularly convenient solution for those who live in southwest Poland. "The most difficult part of the journey is driving to the border," said Szwajcarzewski, but Kobenter was harsher in her assessment. "It's a nightmare driving to the border," she said.
Kobenter also pointed out that the state of the roads in the Austrian mountains is excellent. "We start clearing the roads before it starts snowing, not when there is already 20 cm of snow,"she said. "I'm Austrian but I have never had to use snow chains, our roads are always cleared."
Not only winter charm
It is not only snow that draws tourists to Austria. In fact, Łaciak said, "I'm not convinced that the majority of Poles travel to Austria in winter. A significant number of Poles travel to Vienna [outside the skiing season]."
Szwajcarzewski agreed about the popularity of Austria's capital. He added that many Polish tourists tend to stay in the city for three to four days, often on their way to summer holiday destinations such as Italy or Croatia.
In addition, there are Poles who choose to stay in the countryside and enjoy the abundance of walking, hiking and cycling routes. "People often go back to places they know from their winter holidays," said Kobenter. "Hiking is very popular, as is cycling," she added, explaining that Austria has some 10,000 km of cycling paths along with other cycling infrastructure.
Austria's popularity as a tourist destination for Poles is expected to continue growing. The inevitable - if slow - improvement of road infrastructure in Poland will only make it easier to visit the country and rising levels of affluence will make holidays more affordable.
