Changes in Outbound Tourism from the Visegrád Countries to Austria

抄録

The purpose of this study is to examine the changes in outbound tourism from the Visegrád Countries (Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary) to Austria. The number of tourists from these countries to Austria has greatly increased since the late 1980s, especially during winter. A majority of these tourists used to visit cities in Austria, especially Vienna, during the socialist period. However, tourist destinations have now changed. Several areas in the Alpine region have become popular among tourists since 1990. In the province Tyrol, many winter tourists stay in the valleys with large glacial ski areas that always offer good snow conditions. Most of them travel in groups, and there are only a small number of individual travelers. Tourists come to Tyrol by chartered bus and usually opt for cheaper accommodation, when staying for five to six days. Since 1990, tourism from the Visegrád Countries to Austria has been developed on account of winter sports, however, it accounts for approximately 2% of the tourist nights in Austria. This development in tourism can be partly attributed to the accessibility from the Visegrád Countries to Austria and the fact that Austrian resorts are relatively inexpensive, compared with the other Alpine resorts in Switzerland or France. Moreover, many Alpine regions have come to need the new tourist market of the Visegrád Countries, because the regular visitor market, comprising largely German tourists, is unlikely to expand.