Where do Upper Austrians go in the summer? How does inflation affect holiday plans? A conversation with Norbert Draskovits, CEO of Linz Airport, about trends, the consequences of the FTI bankruptcy and competition from paradise that very few people had anticipated.
One day after the start of the summer holidays, there are six flights from Linz Airport, managed by Norbert Draskovits, which take those seeking relaxation directly to the sea: with Heraklion, Kos, Preveza and Rhodes there are four flights to Greece, with Antalya there is a connection to Turkey and also with Brac one to Croatia.
“Crown”: Greece, Turkey, Spain – where do Upper Austrians go in summer?
Norbert Draskovits: “Greece and Turkey are doing very well. In Kos, Rhodes and Crete the number of passengers is even higher than last year. Mallorca is experiencing a slight decline.”
Last year, autumn was almost better for Linz than the high season. And this year?
“We are booked more heavily in the pre- and post-season. In July and August, there are still places available at all destinations because the travel price including hotel and flight is considerably higher than last year. That is why many families move to the remote areas, where it is a bit cheaper.”
And what about Egypt?
“There has been a significant decline this year.”
Due to the bankruptcy of tour operator FTI?
“Also. But the negative trend was already clear in the winter due to the impact of the conflict in Gaza and Israel. After the winter, the booking situation improved again, after which the effect of the FTI came, which is particularly strong in Egypt. That caused shifts.”
Do you also feel this in Linz?
“Yes, because passengers want to travel and if possible they look for an offer at the destination. If there are no more places, we go somewhere else with another organizer and then it is postponed.”
How much impact does inflation have?
“It was an extremely early bird year, then it pretty much died out.”
Because budgets are tighter?
“People are simply taking shorter vacations and driving more. Families in particular are staying in Austria more often. If travel prices are rising, but also the cost of living, how is this supposed to work without a shift taking place? Anything else would be illogical.”
Is this also the reason for the slight decline in Mallorca?
“Maybe. The price-sensitive families who used to fly to Mallorca now prefer Turkey because it offers an extremely good price-performance ratio. In addition, the Maldives have become so attractive with flight and hotel offers. Just imagine: in terms of turnover, the Maldives are in the top 5 summer destinations on the Austrian market.”
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.
