Discover Austria 2021 

On November 25, 2021, the Austrian Trade Commission and the Austrian National Tourist Office invited Canadian travel industry representatives to an exclusive business lunch at Bisha Hotel, Downtown Toronto. 

The guests were welcomed by Consul and Trade Commissioner Gregor Postl and Trade Relations Officer, Christiane Boeck. Both were joined by Armando Mendonca, president of AMPM who represented the Vienna Tourist Board and Brendan Shashoua, Head of Sales Canada, Lufthansa Group. Austrian Ambassador, Sylvia Meier-Kajbic greeted the guests via video message and talked about the ReFocus Austria program. The 10 Austrian destination partners also joined via inspiring videos and are looking forward to keeping in touch with their Canadian partners. With traditional pumpkin soup, Wiener schnitzel and Apfelstrudel, the Canadian stakeholders got a foretaste of what to expect in Austria in 2022.

See here the photo gallery of the event and below the event brochure as well as the presentations of the partners. 

Some takeaways from the 10 Austrian partners for your next trip to Austria:

• Make sure to take in a colourful concert by the well-known Vienna Mozart Orchestra, performed in the most beautiful venues and in historic costumes. www.mozart.wien

• Don´t miss The Hofburg, the Sisi Museum, and the Vienna Furniture Museum all operated by the Schönbrunn Group. Schönbrunn Palace, one of Austrias’ most important cultural assets and one of Vienna’s biggest tourist magnets. www.schoenbrunn-group.com/en

• If you are a fan of the art museum, you have the agony of choice: either visit the Austrian Belvedere Gallery, a baroque World Heritage Site and one of the first public museums in the world or indulge yourself in the decadence of enjoying masterpieces by Rubens, Rembrandt, Vermeer and Durer at Kunsthistorisches Museum. www.belvedere.at/en/tourism-b2b and www.khm.at

• And shall you get lost in all the beauty Vienna has to offer – reach out to the Vienna Tourist Board. The Vienna Tourist Board is in charge of promoting the destination worldwide, assisting visitors with service and information and representing the tourist interests of the city. www.wien.info 

• Reach out to Sato Tours, a family-owned Tour Operator attending the segments of Corporate FIT and Events, Incentives, Leisure and Groups. https://satotours.eu/en/

• Consider visiting Graz. Graz is Austria’s second-largest city and was named European Capital of Culture in 2003 and City of Design in 2009. It is one of the best-preserved historical cities in Europe and is full of impressive institutions and exciting cultural attractions. The Incoming Office of Graz Tourism is the perfect contact point for group hotel bookings and individual group program design and will support you to promote the destination. www.visitgraz.com

• Innsbruck, the capital of the Alps, is a sight to behold. Surrounded by the Alps, Innsbruck is a true alpine gem and renowned worldwide for its ski resorts and tradition of hosting winter sports competitions. With the towering Nordkette just minutes away, it is an outdoor dream come true, summer or winter. Its long history as the centre of the Tyrol region and modern history as a winter sports destination has drawn people from all over the globe. www.innsbruck.info

• The mecca of ski and summer vacations, the famous and biggest skiing area Arlberg (Arlberg Marketing) will also be represented at the Austria Showcase conference in Toronto. With not less than five locations the Arlberg region enchants with their charm. From the beginning of December to the end of April, 88 lifts and cable cars run along the 305 km of ski slopes, Plus almost 200 kilometres of snow depth with free space skiing options, which makes Arlberg Austria's largest interconnected ski area. www.arlberg.net

• Talking about Austria´s western region: Swarovski Crystal Worlds will mesmerize you with their Chambers of Wonder. In honour of Swarovski’s centenary birthday in 1995, Swarovski Kristallwelten (Swarovski Crystal Worlds) in Wattens opened its doors to offer a new crystal living experience. 25 years later, this spellbinding space showcases internationally recognized artists, designers, and architects. The ever-changing crystal gallery experience of the Chambers of Wonder has entranced over 15 million visitors since its opening. www.swarovski.com/kristallwelten

• Last but not least: Enjoy the magnificent service of Austrian Airlines and Air Canada. Austrian Airlines resumed its direct flights between Vienna and Montréal on October 1st, 2021. If you are a Toronto/Ontario resident, Air Canada re-established their service in connecting Vienna to Toronto in July with a frequency of three times per week.

Thank you to ReFocus Austria for supporting this event.