Impact of COVID-19 on the Austrian Tourism and Leisure Industry

The COVID-19 pandemic, which hit Europe at the beginning of 2020, has hit tourism and parts of the leisure industry particularly hard: government-imposed closures, international travel restrictions, and a correspondingly sharp reduction in demand significantly impacted the economic opportunities of many businesses. In three annual sub-studies and a final report covering the entire study period from 2020 to 2023, the development of tourism and the leisure industry during the pandemic and after wards is analysed. Key figures are compared to the period before the crisis to estimate the extent of the economic impact caused by the pandemic. Conclusions on the future of the Austrian tourism and leisure industry after the pandemic and necessary adjustments to maintain competitiveness conclude the research.