1933: The State Takes Over Tourism Marketing

In the First Republic, there was no state-sponsored organisation for overall tourism marketing for Austria until 1933. Tourism was the responsibility of the provinces. Before 1933, two thirds of all holidaymakers in Austria were Germans. In May 1933, just before the introduction of the “Thousand Mark Ban”, government reorganisation resulted in the creation of a short-lived State Secretariat for Job Creation and Tourism. An Austrofascist hardliner, Odo Neustädter-Stürmer, was named Secretary of State. Under the May Constitution of 1934, the “promotion of tourism” became the responsibility of the federal government for the first time (Ministry of Trade and Transport) and the budget was increased from 48.000 to one million schillings.

A “Marketing Service” was set up. This commissioned posters, brochures and adverts from renowned graphic artists in as many as twelve languages. It created a unified corporate design for the different advertising materials, published a handbook for Austrian tourism and set up an Institute for Tourism Research. In addition, illustrated lectures were organised around the world to showcase the country’s beauty, and reductions were introduced on rail travel. At the centre of these advertising campaigns was an image of Austria that corresponded to the ideology of Austrofascism. Winter campaigns were dominated by athletic people in sportswear typical of the time, while summer subjects regularly included men and women in traditional dress backed by stunning alpine landscapes. The “evil” city makes only rare appearances in tourism marketing.

The measures were successful. In 1936, the number of overnight stays overtook Switzerland, the traditional holiday destination, for the first time. The years 1933 to 1938 would form the basis for Austria’s success story as a holiday destination after 1945.