Vienna hopes for Chinese tourist boost

CGTN Europe

Last year, Vienna Airport saw twice as many passengers travel to and from China than in 2023.   While passenger numbers are still below pre-pandemic levels, the Austrian capital hopes its many music venues will attract more Mozart and Beethoven fans.   CGTN’s Johannes Pleschberger reports.   #Austria #Vienna #China

Transcript

00:00Listening to Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro in one of Vienna's historic ring road palaces

00:07has been on Linting knees bucket list for a long time.

00:14I love music so I'm just like, I really, I'm excited.

00:21To have a concert in one big hall or in one big opera, they can do it even in China or

00:25wherever they go.

00:26But concerts like this, how we perform, how we give them this experience, it's only to

00:32see in Vienna.

00:33Vienna's world famous classical music attracts millions of visitors each year.

00:38And while arrivals from China have been low since the COVID pandemic, recent figures are

00:43more optimistic.

00:45In the first half of 2024, Vienna recorded a 129% increase in Chinese tourists compared

00:54with the year before.

00:57Alongside direct connections to Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, Vienna is now offering Hainan

01:02airline flights to Chengdu in southwestern China.

01:06Chengdu is a very attractive city, the home of the pandas, and Shenzhen, a world-renowned

01:13capital of technology, so I do hope that many more Austrians fly to China as well and use

01:19the Hainan flights to travel to these cities.

01:23Vienna Airport CEO Julian Jäger says he will visit China in the new year in a bid to establish

01:28more flight connections.

01:30I see a lot of potential for further growth in China and we do hope that we will get one

01:35or other additional destination in China in the coming years.

01:41Even though passenger numbers between Austria and China are currently at 70% of pre-pandemic

01:46levels, it's hoped a further increase is on the horizon as visitors seek to enjoy the

01:51highlights of each other's country.

01:53Johannes Meshberger, CGTN, Vienna.

Category

Transcript

Recommended