Record May for Austrian Tourism, but Booking Situation in June Mixed

Imlauer also sees room for improvement when it comes to revenue. Average room prices from previous years would likely not be reached this year, he said. Guests' ancillary spending — for example on gastronomy or wellness — had noticeably declined, as guests were currently saving more. As a result, revenue remained "noch zu wünschen übrig."

Cost Burden and Collective Bargaining Negotiations

Among the burdens on the hotel industry, Imlauer cited rising personnel costs, material and energy prices, as well as bureaucracy. Against this backdrop, he described the collective bargaining negotiations as deadlocked. The employers' side had come within "bis auf ein Zehntelprozent" of the union, while the latter had "überhaupt nicht gerührt." The employers' offer provided for an increase of 3.4 percent for the lowest wage groups; many businesses had already implemented these increases voluntarily. The ball was now in the union's court, Imlauer said.

Demand for Visitor Management in Salzburg

Another topic Imlauer addressed was visitor management in Salzburg. Salzburg, like Venice, has many day visitors. In his view, shorter lengths of stay made no sense and would place additional strain on the city, as can be seen in bad weather. Imlauer therefore called for better visitor management, particularly with regard to tourist buses, and suggested that slots at bus terminals should only be allocated for a minimum of four to six hours.

Overall, Imlauer described June as "sehr durchwachsen." Despite the record May, sentiment in the industry remains subdued, also because key metrics such as occupancy, room price and ancillary spending are trailing the previous year's figures. The coming weeks will show, from the industry's perspective, whether the bookings still outstanding will come in and whether the season overall will nevertheless reach the level of previous years.

Outlook on the Rest of the Season

Statistik Austria had already pointed to the sharp increase in May. The 12 percent rise compared to the same month the previous year marks the highest May figure since the current records began. Industry observers view this as a sign of fundamentally intact demand, but at the same time see structural cost increases and guests' restrained consumer propensity as risks to operators' earnings situation.

Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Imlauer pointed to the importance of short-term bookings and better management of guest flows in heavily frequented cities such as Salzburg. Should the union not accept the existing employers' offer, the conflict is likely to continue weighing on economic sentiment in the industry. At the same time, additional bookings in the coming weeks could still brighten the balance sheet.

In summary: the May record provides a strong foundation, but the current booking and revenue situation in June shows that the 2026 summer season will not be a sure thing for many establishments. Industry representative Imlauer certainly sees potential, but warns against premature euphoria and is pressing both for a solution in the collective bargaining agreement and for better visitor management in the hotspots.