/>/>Contents
Introduction_ 2
1. Austria 3
1.1 TheRise of Austria 3
1.2 TheAustrian Empire 5
1.3Modern Austria 8
2. The tourism industry as a partof the Austrian economy_ 11
2.1 TheOrganizational Structure 11
2.2Economic Significance 12
2.3Trends in Austrian Tourism_ 14
2.4 The tourism labour market 16
Conclusion_ 19
Literature 20
Introduction
Austria (in German, Цsterreich), officially Republic ofAustria, republic in central Europe, bordered on the north by the CzechRepublic; on the north-east by Slovakia; on the east by Hungary; on the southby Slovenia, Italy, and Switzerland; and on the west by Liechtenstein, Switzerland,and Germany.
Austria is about 580 km (360 mi) long and has an area of 83,859 sq km (32,378 sq mi). Vienna is the country's capital andlargest city.
During the past 10 centuries, the term Austria hasdesignated a variety of geographic and political concepts. In its narrowestsense Austria has included only the present-day provinces of Upper and LowerAustria, including Vienna; in its widest meaning the term has covered the far-flungdomains of the imperial house of Hapsburg. Its present connotation —German-speaking Austria — dates only from 1918. This article deals mainly withthe history of German-speaking Austria. For wider historical background, see HolyRoman Empire; Hapsburg; Austro-Hungarian Monarchy; Hungary; Bohemia; and Netherlands,Austrian and Spanish.
Visits to Austria mostly include trips to Vienna with itsCathedral, its «Heurigenschenken» (wine pubs) and romantic Waltzmusic flair. Worth a visit are Salzburg, birthplace of Mozart, Innsbruck,capital of Tyrol, surrounded by the Alps and Danube valley with its vineyards,for example the Wachau, which is between Melk und Krems. In the western part ofthe country Austria reaches Lake Constance, in the eastern part Neusiedler See.Austria also is famous for its skiing and hiking resorts in the Alps and forits lakes.
1. Austria 1.1 The Rise of Austria
Austria is located at the crossroads of Europe; Vienna isat the gate of the Danubian plain, and the Brenner Pass in W Austria linksGermany and Italy. From earliest times Austrian territory has been athoroughfare, a battleground, and a border area. It was occupied by Celts andSuebi when the Romans conquered (15 B.C.–A.D. 10) and divided it among theprovinces of Rhaetia, Noricum, and Upper Pannonia. After the 5th cent. A.D.,Huns, Ostrogoths, Lombards, and Bavarians overran and devastated the provinces.By c.600, Slavs from the east had occupied all of modern Styria, Lower Austria,and Carinthia.
In 788, Charlemagne conquered the area and set up the firstAustrian (i.e., Eastern) March in the present Upper and Lower Austria, to haltthe inroads of the Avars. Colonization was encouraged, and Christianity (whichhad been introduced under the Romans) was again spread energetically. AfterCharlemagne's death (814) the march soon fell to the Moravians and later to theMagyars, from whom it was taken (955) by Emperor Otto I. Otto reconstituted themarch and attached it to Bavaria, but, in 976, Otto II bestowed it as aseparate fief on Leopold of Babenberg, founder of the first Austrian dynasty.Emperor Frederick I raised (1156) Austria to a duchy, and, in 1192, Styria alsopassed under Babenberg rule.
The 11th and 12th cent. saw the height of Austrianfeudalism and also witnessed the marked development of towns as the Danube wasconverted to a great trade route. After the death (1246) of the last Babenberg,King Ottocar II of Bohemia acquired (1251–69) Austria, Styria, Carinthia, and Carniola.Fearing his power, the German princes elected (1273) Rudolf of Hapsburg Germanking. Rudolf I asserted (1282) his royal prerogative to reclaim the fourduchies from Ottocar and incorporate them in his domains. After the murder(1308) of Rudolf's son, Albert I, the German princes balked at electing anothermember of the ambitious family.
Albert's ducal successors enlarged the Hapsburg holdings byacquiring Tyrol (1363) and Trieste (1382) and extended their influence over theecclesiastic states of Salzburg, Trent, and Brixen (see Bressanone), which,however, remained independent until 1803. Marriage allowed Albert II to beelected German king in 1438. Beginning with Albert II, the rulers of the HolyRoman Empire were always chosen from the Hapsburg dynasty. Despite their vastimperial preoccupations, the emperors always considered German Austria theprized core of their dominions. During the long reign of Frederick III(1440–93), the protracted Hapsburg wars with France began. In 1526, Austria,Bohemia, and Hungary were united under one crown (see Ferdinand I, emperor). Inthe same year Vienna was besieged for two weeks by troops of the Ottoman Empireunder Sulayman the Magnificent, who had made a forceful advance into Europe.The Turkish threat to Austria ebbed and then climaxed again in the second siegeof Vienna in 1683.
The patterns of medievalism were weakening in Austria,especially as the money economy spread, and in the 16th cent. the commercialrevolution diminished the importance of Austrian trade routes and of theancient gold and silver mines of Tyrol and Carinthia. Economic and politicalinstability in the 16th cent. precipitated the spread of the ProtestantReformation, which the Hapsburg rulers attempted to counter by nurturing theCounter Reformation. The alliance then formed between church and statecontinued throughout the history of the monarchy.
The Austrian peasantry, especially in Tyrol, had gainedsome advantages in the Peasants' War of 1524–26; in general, however, therising, backed by some Protestants but not by Luther, was defeated. Suppressionof Protestantism was at first impossible, and, under Maximilian II, Lutherannobles were granted considerable toleration. Rudolph II and Matthias pursuedpolicies of partial Catholicization, and, under Ferdinand II, anti-Protestantvigor helped to precipitate the Thirty Years War (1618–48). Protestant Bohemiaand Moravia, defeated by the Austrians at the White Mt. (1620), became virtualAustrian provinces. Austria proper remained relatively unscathed in the longholocaust; after the Peace of Westphalia the Hapsburg lands emerged as adistinct empire, whereas the Holy Roman Empire drifted into a mere shadowexistence.1.2 TheAustrian Empire
The monarchy, although repressive of free speech andworship, was far from absolute; taxation and other powers rested with theprovincial estates for a further century. Emperor Charles VI (1711–40), whosedynastic wars had drained the state, secured the succession to the Hapsburglands for his daughter, Maria Theresa, by means of the pragmatic sanction.Maria Theresa's struggle with Frederick II of Prussia in the War of theAustrian Succession (see Austrian Succession, War of the) and the Seven YearsWar opened a long struggle for dominance in the German lands.
Except for the loss of Silesia, Maria Theresa held her own.The provincial estates were reduced in power, and an efficient centralizedbureaucracy was created; as the nobles were attracted to bureaucratic servicetheir power as a class was weakened. Maria Theresa's husband, Francis I, becameHoly Roman emperor in 1745, but his position was largely titular. The majorevent of Maria Theresa's later reign was the first partition of Poland (1772;see Poland, partitions of); in that transaction and in the third partition(1795) Austria renewed its eastward expansion.
Joseph II, who succeeded her, impetuously carried forwardthe reforms which his mother had cautiously begun. His attempts to furthercentralize and Germanize his scattered and disparate dominions met stubbornresistance; his project to consolidate his state by exchanging the AustrianNetherlands for Bavaria was balked by Frederick II. An exemplar of “benevolentdespotism” and a disciple of the Enlightenment, Joseph also decreed a series ofrevolutionary agrarian, fiscal, religious, and judicial reforms; however,opposition, especially from among the clergy and the landowners, forced hissuccessor, Leopold II, to rescind many of them. In Joseph's reign the Austrianbourgeoisie began to emerge as a social and cultural force. Music andarchitecture (see Vienna) flourished in 18th-century Austria, and modernAustrian literature (see German literature) emerged early in the 19th cent.
In the reign of Francis II, Austria was drawn (1792) intowar with revolutionary France (see French Revolutionary Wars) and with NapoleonI. The treaties of Campo Formio (1797) and Lunéville (1801) preluded thedissolution (1806) of the Holy Roman Empire, and in 1804, Francis II took thetitle “Francis I, emperor of Austria.” His rout at Austerlitz (1805) led to thesevere Treaty of Pressburg (see Pressburg, Treaty of).
An upsurge of patriotism resulted in the renewal of warwith Napoleon in 1809; Austria's defeat at Wagram led to the even morehumiliating Peace of Schönbrunn (see under Schönbrunn). Austria wasforced to side with Napoleon in the Russian campaign of 1812, but in 1813 itagain joined the coalition against Napoleon; an Austrian, Prince Karl Philippvon Schwarzenberg, headed the allied forces. The Congress of Vienna (1814–15;see Vienna, Congress of) did not restore to Austria its former possessions inthe Netherlands and in Baden but awarded it Lombardy, Venetia, Istria, andDalmatia.
As the leading power of both the German Confederation andthe Holy Alliance, Austria under the ministry of Metternich dominated Europeanpolitics. Conservatism and the repression of nationalistic strivingscharacterized the age. Nevertheless, the Metternich period was one of greatcultural achievement, particularly in music and literature.
The revolutions of 1848 shook the Hapsburg empire butultimately failed because of the conflicting economic goals of the middle andlower classes and because of the conflicting nationalist aspirations that setthe revolutionary movements of Germans, Slavs, Hungarians, and Italians againsteach other. Revolts were at first successful throughout the empire (see Risorgimento;Galicia; Bohemia; Hungary); in Vienna the revolutionists drove out Metternich(Mar., 1848). Emperor Ferdinand granted (April) a liberal constitution, which aconstituent assembly replaced (July) with a more democratic one. After a newoutbreak Vienna was bombarded, and the revolutionists were punished by troopsunder General Windischgrätz. Prince Felix zu Schwarzenberg became premierand engineered the abdication of Ferdinand in favor of Francis Joseph.
The military and political weakness of the empire wasdemonstrated by the Austrian loss of Lombardy in the Italian War of 1859.Attempts to solve the nationalities problem—the “October Diploma” (1860), whichcreated a central legislature and gave increased powers to the provincialassemblies of nobles, and the “February Patent,” which transferred many ofthese powers to the central legislature—failed. Prussia seized the opportunityto drive Austria out of Germany. After involving Austria in the war over Schleswig-Holsteinin 1864, Bismarck found an easy pretext for attacking. Overwhelmingly defeatedby Prussia at Sadová (Sadowa) in 1866 (see Austro-Prussian War), Austriawas forced to cede Venetia to Italy. With this debacle Austria's political rolein Germany came to an end.
A reorganization of the government of the empire becameinevitable, and in 1867 a compromise (Ger. Ausgleich) with Hungarian moderatenationalists established a dual state, the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. But therealm, a land of diverse peoples ruled by a German-Magyar minority,increasingly became an anachronism in a nationalistic age. Failure to provide asatisfactory status for the other nationalities, notably the Slavs, played amajor role in bringing about World War I. Important developments in Austriansociety during this period were the continued irresponsibility of the nobilityand the backwardness of the peasantry, the growth of a socialist working class,widespread anti-Semitism stimulated by the large-scale movement to Austria ofpoor Jews from the eastern provinces, and extraordinary cultural creativity inVienna.
The disastrous course of the war led to the breakup of themonarchy in 1918. Charles I renounced power; after a peaceful revolution stagedby the Socialist and Pan-German parties, German Austria was proclaimed (Nov.12) a republic and a part of Greater Germany.
1.3Modern Austria
The Treaty of Saint-Germain (1919) fixed the presentAustrian borders and forbade (as did the Treaty of Versailles) any political oreconomic union (Ger. Anschluss) with Germany. This left Austria a small countrywith some 7 million inhabitants, one third of whom lived in a single large city(Vienna) that had been geared to be the financial and industrial hub of a largestate. The Dual Monarchy had been virtually self-sufficient economically; itsbreakup and the consequent erection of tariff walls deprived Austria of raw materials,food, and markets. In the postwar period, starvation and influenza exacted aheavy toll, especially in Vienna. These ills were followed by currencyinflation, ended only in 1924 by means of League of Nations aid, following uponchronic unemployment, financial scandals and crises, and growing politicalunrest.
“Red” Vienna, under the moderate socialist government ofKarl Seitz, became increasingly opposed by the “Black” (i.e., clericalist)rural faction, which won the elections of 1921. The cabinet of Social DemocratKarl Renner was succeeded by Christian Socialist and Pan-German coalitionsunder Schober, Seipel, and others. Unrest culminated, in 1927, in violent riots in Vienna; two rival private militias—the Heimwehr of the monarchist leader E.R. von Starhemberg and the Schutzbund of the socialists—posed a threat to theauthority of the state. Economic crisis loomed again in the late 1920s. NationalSocialism, feeding in part on anti-Semitism, gained rapidly and soon absorbedthe Pan-German party.
Engelbert Dollfuss, who became chancellor in 1932, thoughirreconcilably opposed to Anschluss and to National Socialism, tendedincreasingly toward corporative fascism and relied heavily on Italian support.His stern suppression of the socialists precipitated a serious revolt (1934),which was bloodily suppressed by the army. Soon afterward a totalitarian statewas set up, and all independent political parties were outlawed. In July, 1934,the National Socialists assassinated Dollfuss but failed to seize thegovernment.
Kurt von Schuschnigg succeeded Dollfuss. German pressure onAustria increased; Schuschnigg was forced to legalize the operations of theNational Socialists and to appoint members of that party to cabinet posts.Schuschnigg planned a last-minute effort to avoid Anschluss by holding aplebiscite, but Hitler forced him to resign. In Mar., 1938, Austria wasoccupied by German troops and became part of the Reich. Arthur Seyss-Inquartbecame the Nazi governor.
In 1943, the Allies agreed to reestablish an independentAustria at the end of World War II. In 1945, Austria was conquered by Sovietand American troops, and a provisional government was set up under Karl Renner.The pre-Dollfuss constitution was restored with revisions; the country wasdivided into separate occupation zones, each controlled by an Allied power.
Economic recovery was hindered by the decline of tradebetween Western and Eastern Europe and by the division into zones. Austria wasformally recognized by the Western powers in 1946, but because of Sovietdisagreement with the West over reparations, the occupation continued. On May15, 1955, a formal treaty between Great Britain, France, the United States, theUSSR, and Austria restored full sovereignty to the country. The treatyprohibited the possession of major offensive weapons and required Austria topay heavy reparations to the USSR. Austria proclaimed its perpetual neutrality.In 1955 it was admitted to the United Nations.
By the 1960s unprecedented prosperity had been attained.Austria had joined the European Free Trade Association in 1959, but associationwith the European Economic Community (Common Market) was held back by Sovietopposition. Politically, a nearly equal balance of power between theconservative People's party and the Socialist party resulted in successivecoalition cabinets until 1966, when the People's party won a clear majority.They were ousted by the Socialists in the 1970 elections, and Bruno Kreiskybecame chancellor. A long-standing dispute with Italy over the German-speakingpopulation of the Trentino–Alto Adige region of Italy was dealt with in atreaty ratified in 1971.
In 1983 the Socialist government fell, and Socialists wereforced to form a coalition with the far-right Freedom party. In 1986 theSocialists (now the Social Democrats) and the People's party again joinedtogether in a “grand coalition” that retained control of the government throughthe 1990s. Social Democrat Franz Vranitzky was chancellor from 1986 to 1997,when he resigned and was replaced by Viktor Klima. In the Oct., 1999,elections, the People's party placed third, just barely behind the far-rightFreedom party, whose leader, Jörg Haider, has been critized as demagogic.The results complicated the formation of a new government, which still was notachieved by Dec., 1999, when Klima sought to re-form the SocialDemocratic–People's party coalition.
Austria captured world attention in 1986 when former UnitedNations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim was elected president despiteallegations that he had been involved in atrocities as a German army staffofficer in the Balkans during World War II. Waldheim was succeeded in 1992 byThomas Klestil, the candidate of the People's party. Austria began a partial privatizationof state-owned industries in the late 1980s and entered the European Union in1995.
2. The tourism industryas a part of the Austrian economy
The majestic Alps, plentiful forests, 88 lakes and aconsiderable network of rivers all add to Austria’s natural beauty and vibrantcountryside. As a popular holiday destination in Central Europe, Austria playshost to visitors from all over the world. Thus, tourism plays an important rolein the Austrian economy.2.1 TheOrganizational Structure
According to a federal principle of the Austrianconstitution, each of the 9 Austrian Federal Provinces is responsible for itsown tourism. At the provincial level, tourist boards and a special division ofthe provincial governments conduct tourism.
Although the constitution itself allocates responsibilityfor tourism to the federal provinces, the Federal Government is heldaccountable for the general economic policy, public transport, financinginstruments and subsidies — all questions which are directly or indirectlyrelated to tourism.
The marketing activities in Austria’s tourism industry areprovided by the «Austrian National Tourist Office»(ANTO). TheAustrian Federal Government, the local governments of the 9 provinces, and theAustrian Economic Chamber are affiliated to the ANTO.
With a budget of around 44,743 mio. in 2001, the AustrianNational Tourist Office strives to promote Austrian tourism on both thedomestic and the international levels. To this end, it maintains 24representative offices in all major incoming-tourist countries of the world, 4marketing offices and several representatives/tourism managers and honoraryrepresentatives in a number of other countries (approximately 80representatives in total).
2.2Economic Significance
Austria's tourism and leisure industry plays a vital rolein the Austrian economy. In 2002, the total foreign currency earnings fromtourism amounted to approximately 14,13 million € (+5.5% compared with 2001).Thus, tourism accounts for 18,6% of Austria's total export earnings, for some6,5% of the GDP and employs some 500,000 people. In terms of the per capitaincome in foreign currency from tourism, Austria is at the reign with annuallyapproximately 1,400 €.
The number of beds and the number of overnight stays arethe most important statistical indicators to measure the performance oftourism. The Austrian registration system ensures accurate statistical data. In2002, approximately 1.151 million guest beds were registered.
In the same year, the number of overnight stays amounted to116,8 million. Visitors from abroad accounted for about 85,79 million anddomestic guests for about 31,01 million (comparison to 2001: +1,5% in total).Thus, foreign visitors represented 73.4% of the total overnight stays in 2002.Austria is again among the top tourist destinations.
Another important statistical indicator is the number ofarrivals: In 2002 they amounted to 27,36 million (resulting in a plus of 1.7%compared to 2001 or approximately 465,882 more than the previous year). Theguests stayed an average period of 4.27 days, which resulted in a 26.6% occupancyrate of guest beds.
Number of Arrivals and Average Staying Period (1976-2002)
/>
Foreign currency receipts amounted to about 14,13 million €in 2002, which, with + 25.3% (the 10,97 million € the Austrians spent abroadalready deducted resulted in no trade balance deficit in 2002. Thus, thetourism industry, for once, completely balanced Austria's traditional tradedeficit and resulted in a surplus of 170 million €.
Traditionally, the vast majority of tourists come fromGermany — in 2002 they accounted for approx. 53,52 million overnight-stays(around 62.4% of the total and +/- 2% var.):
Germany
The Netherlands
Great Britain
Switzerland
Italy
Belgium
France
USA
Denmark
Hungary
Poland
62.4%
9.6%
3.8%
3.8%
3.3%
2.5%
1.8%
1.6%
1.1%
1.0%
1.0%
Countries of Origin: Share in Bednights 2002
/> 2.3 Trends in Austrian Tourism
In an industry of constant change, Austrian tourism mustalways remain flexible in its reaction to new tourist trends.
Perhaps one of the most remarkable trends is the increasedinflux of visitors from outside the German-speaking countries.
Other trends include an increase in shorter holidays eachyear, demands for higher quality accommodation and city tourism.
Warmly welcomed by the Austrian tourism industry, thesetrends fit perfectly into the planned policy which seeks to improve qualitystandards and to diversify the incoming tourist country of origin.
Less welcome trends such as the strong move from summerseason holidays towards winter season holidays, pose real problems forenterprises which depend on only one season for business — mainly the summerseason. While winter tourism accounted for only 33.7% of total overnight stays23 years ago (1979/1980), 2001/2002 showed a shift in favour of winter with56.3% of total overnight stays.
The trend toward higher quality accommodation makes thingsmore difficult and creates problems for a large number of lower category hotelsand private accomodation.
Number of Beds in One to Five Star Hotels 1990-2002 1 to 5Star Hotels
/>
/>/>
/>/>/>
/>/>/>/>
/>/>/>/>/>
/>
In terms of long-term development, the experts speak of anormalizing effect since 1973: the preceding period brought yearly touristicgrowth rates of 6 to 10%, with top rates at almost 15%-rates, which could nothave been maintained for any length at time without a harmful impact on theenvironment. Since then, the growth rates have decreased and were even negativeon a few occasions. Nevertheless, a modest increase was on average maintainedand should continue in the foreseeable future.
Austria’s official tourism policy goes under the motto«Quality before Quantity». This means, for example, that publicfinancial subsidies to touristic enterprises are only granted if the plannedinvestment promises to improve quality standards instead of enlargening thequantitative capacity.
Many efforts have been made in recent years to provide awider range of tourism facilities in order to attract new target groups (i.e.groups in search of entertainment, amusement and leisure activities). Since thenumber of tourists seeking minimal activity during vacation is declining,Austria now offers 900 indoor swimming-pools, 22,000 kms of prepared alpineski-slopes, 16,000 kms of cross-country ski trails, 60 wild-life parks — tomention only a few examples.
To sustain its success in a changing Europe, Austria mustopen up new markets for prospective tourists from overseas and from EasternEuropean countries.
The tendency towards «quality tourism», whichincreasingly demands highly qualified personnel, will continue.2.4 Thetourism labour market
Demand for highly qualified personnel in tourism is stillvery high. Taking labour market statistics as an indicator for the demand for specializedqualified personnel in this field, it appears that there is still anabove-average demand for jobs in tourism.
Between 1986 and 2002 the number of employees increased byapproximately 31,9% from 131,649 to 173,643 (data referring to July). Some 28%of the total work force in tourism are foreign workers.
A characteristic of the tourism labour market is highmobility. Seasonal workers tend to change their employers regularly.
Labour Market: Seasonal Changes in 2002 total number of employed persons total number of unemployed persons in the tourism sector Jan-02 162,272 28,362 Feb-02 164,228 28,258 Mar-02 159,157 29,060 Apr-02 133,576 43,611 May-02 144,015 35,591 Jun-02 159,677 26,462 Jul-02 173,643 21,995 Aug-02 170,679 23,088 Sep-02 155,854 27,940 Okt-02 134,125 41,121 Nov-02 127,711 49,703 Dec-02 153,031 28,078 Jahres-durchschnitt 153,164 31,940
Female employees account for over 60 per cent of thetourism labour market.
Professions in tourism are extraordinarily attractive foryoung adults: among the ten most popular apprenticeship trades with youngfemales, four are to be found in the tourist sector (double apprenticeship«restaurant specialist — service/cook», and the singleapprenticeships «restaurant specialist — service», «cook»,«hotel and restaurant trade commercial assistant»). Among youngmales, the occupation of «cook» counts among the most popularqualifications — this is all the more significant as 80% of female and 55% ofmale apprentices decide for a total of only ten apprenticeship trades.
During and after apprenticeship training, there is a widevariety of vocational and further education and training opportunities open tothem — technical schools, higher technical and vocational schools (BHS),special programmes, post-secondary courses, special academies, study courses atFachhochschule (i.e. non-university institutions in 3rd level education),university study programmes and courses -, all of which fulfill the needs ofmodern, high quality tourism and, at the same time, make it possible for theparticipants in the training process to obtain almost any formal qualificationand any conceivable position on the career ladder due to the high degree oftransparency in the educational system.
Conclusion
Austria is located at the crossroads of Europe; Vienna isat the gate of the Danubian plain, and the Brenner Pass in W Austria linksGermany and Italy. From earliest times Austrian territory has been athoroughfare, a battleground, and a border area.
Austria's climate is generally moderate and mild but variesfrom the Alpine region to the eastern plain. Summer can be hot and long withaverage summer temperatures that range from 20°C to 30°C. The average winter temperatures are around 0°. Snow on the mountains in spring andautumn is not uncommon. In Vienna itself you can enjoy the very mild climate, agentle breeze, fresh air produced by the surrounding Wienerwald.
Tourism is one of Austria's major industries, contributingan estimated 10% of the GDP. There are about 70,000 businesses with a turnoverthat has recently stabilised at about ATS 180,000 million. Employment is about142,000 on annual average, or roughly 5% of the national total. In the peakseason, in mid-summer, the industry employs about 160,000 people. Neitheremployment figure includes the employers themselves, who are an important partof the workforce in the industry.
Literature
1. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia Copyright ©1994, 2003, Columbia University Press.
2. M.A. Sully, A Contemporary History of Austria,2006.
3. B. Head, State and Economy in Australia, 2003.
4. Мельников И.А. Республика в Альпах: свет и тени: Об Австрии.- М.: Политиздат, 1988.