May 19. Finally Austria and its hotels, restaurants and leisure services may open again. The break was a long one, but we cannot wait to welcome guests back in Austria. But how could such holidays in Austria look like? Here comes the update:

1000 years is a looooong time where really a lot can happen. In fact, the Gastein valley is one of the touristic resorts in Europe with the longest history. While we are waiting to travel there again for real, let us travel back a little bit in history of this amazing valley!

Even if we already closed this winter season 2020/21 and started promoting summer 2021, our Austrian winter sports men and women did EXCELLENT promotion for Austria as a skiing and winter GOLD and consequently TOP destination. A balance of an absolutely great winter for Austria as a winter sports nation.

... or shall I say summer, sun and GLACIER? Or summer, sun and MOUNTAIN? To make it short: in Zell am See-Kaprun you find the perfect mix for a great vacation from the early warm summer days to the first golden autumn vibes. Let me present the FULL PACKAGE that Zell am See-Kaprun offers, including the unbeatable Zell am See-Kaprun summer card including sooo many great attractions for the whole family:

How will tourism look like in times of Covid-19 and thereafter? An interesting and exciting question at the same time that is discussed with hoteliers, with tourist boards, with travel agents and tour operators - shortly said with everyone who is somehow involved in tourism, which are quite a lot of people. The Austrian travel-journalist Eckart Mandler got the Columbus award 2020-21 and he pretty much sums it up: We will have to take the responsibility for our travels.

Even if the whole winter season is so different and even not existing this year, one thing did and does not change: the first months of the year are completely dedicated to negotiating and preparing the contracts for the next winter season. The big question is: How will the hotel rates change? Will there be extra-super-great specials and discounts?

The Ötztal valley is commonly known for its main skiing resort Sölden with the glaciers, the first world cup races in every new skiing season and since 2018 for the 007 Elements - James Bond cinematic installation. But what do we know about the other resorts in the valley, and about summer? Last summer I enjoyed some days in the Ötztal valley and this is, what I found out. 

In these times it is difficult to stay positive... the soft lock down turns into a hard lock down and there are more and more doubts about the skiing season 2021. The e-paper traveller-online.at published a research about the Austrians' feeling about winter holidays 2021 which might be true for Europeans in general as well. Let's have a look into the study's outcome and my comments....

#0211w. Vienna is shocked. The second lock down that started yesterday was not enough,.... The more we need to think about  positive times - like Christmas. Christmas time in Vienna is about the illuminated streets and places and of course about the Christmas markets with their smells and tastes and happy people. And yes, I do have good news for you! Even this year there will be the Christmas markets in Vienna, of course with a Covid-19 safety concept, and with a slightly belated start.... 

Holidays are the best time of the year. Well, we have worked so hard for finally going somewhere.... This year - already since March 12 - , however, there is something called Covid-19 that is so unpredictable that even the nicest holiday plans could have to be changed in the very last minute: the holiday destination is on the red list or the boarders are closed. And what about the money invested? Will we get it back? Flexibility is the key.