Tourism does not work without the goodwill of the population. Because not only the beautiful landscape, the cultural offer and culinary delights are marketed, but also the hospitality. That requires a good mood, or at least a positive attitude. “Tourism acceptance in Austria is at a consistently high level,” said State Secretary for Tourism Susanne Kraus-Winkler. In Tyrol, however, the mood deteriorated in 2022, a study shows.
“We will not simply ignore the slight decrease in the acceptance of tourism in our country, but will enter into a dialogue with the population and especially those who look critically at tourism and separate myths from facts,” announced the Tyrolean tourism council Mario Gerber.
“Tourism strengthens the purchasing power of the region”
For tourism to be successful, “not only the satisfaction of the guests, but also the perception and attitude of the local population towards tourism is decisive”. Tourism strengthens purchasing power in the regions, creates jobs and ensures prosperity, Gerber emphasized.
According to this study, local people’s awareness that tourism contributes to strengthening the economy – especially outside the cities – has a positive effect on acceptance, confirms study author Christian Bosch, Managing Director of marketmind. That is “the main lever”. It is also considered beneficial “if tourism promotes sustainability and creates jobs”.
“Critique for successful tourism”
“The acceptance of tourism by the local population is a decisive factor for successful tourism,” emphasizes Kraus-Winkler. Sustainable tourism should not be measured only in terms of arrivals and overnight stays, as it is equally important that it measures the quality of life of the local population. A high degree of acceptance is an important contributor to employees feeling valued and guests feeling comfortable. “This cooperation must also be carefully considered in the future,” said the State Secretary for Tourism.
Kraus-Winkler met on Monday to exchange views with stakeholders from the states, regions, science and tourism marketing. It was agreed that the concerns of the population should always be treated fairly and that awareness of the positive effects of tourism on the local population should also be raised.
Despite the pandemic, high acceptance by tourism
It is generally more difficult to gain popular acceptance in particularly high-traffic destinations. Since the Corona year 2020, this has been collected empirically. According to the information provided, in 2022, 2468 people between the ages of 15 and 75 will have been representatively surveyed in interviews throughout the year using an online access panel. The results are mapped in a specially developed success indicator.
In the past year 2022, this tourism acceptance indicator has decreased slightly compared to the pandemic years 2020 and 2021 by 78 (out of 100) points to 76 points. Although the indicator falls within the statistical fluctuation range, “the slight decreases were observed in the regions with a higher tourism intensity,” the state secretariat said. With 76 points, “the very high level could be maintained even after the pandemic years” in 2022.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
