The travel compass commissioned annually by Ruefa, part of the Verkehrsbüro Group, from Marketagent shows (also) an upward trend in winter sports travel.
The good news comes right at the start of the year. And it is: Austrians' desire to travel remains unbroken for 2025. According to the "Ruefa Travel Compass 2025", 89% of Austrians want to travel this year. Whether in the high season or in the increasingly attractive pre- and off-seasons - the desire for sun, beach and sea is strong across generations.
But the need for sport, relaxation and wellness is also enormous and the temperature does not seem to be a limiting factor in holiday planning, because a ski or winter holiday in their home region is on the agenda for 11% of Austrians in 2025.
However, the focus of the analysis is traditionally on summer holidays, which is the main focus for the travel agency chain with tour operator activities. And the forecasts for a strong travel year in 2025 are promising: 89% of Austrians are planning to travel again this year. But where should the trip go?
According to the travel compass, 85% of Generation Z (born between 1994 and 2010) are drawn to other European countries, 67% stay in Austria and 37% prefer faraway holiday destinations. Of the Millennials (1980-1993), 77% prefer destinations in Europe, 67% in Austria and 25% further afield. 77% of Generation X (1965-1979) want to travel to Europe, 71% want to holiday in Austria and 19% want to travel further afield. 80% of the Baby Boomers (1946-1964) prefer a holiday in Austria, 77% want to travel to Europe and 16% want to travel to faraway countries. The biggest Austria fans are the traditionalists (1922 to 1945): 86% go on holiday in Austria, 73% in Europe and 17% abroad. Overall, Austrians are planning an average of 19 days of holiday in 2025 - divided into mostly two holidays (30%), one holiday (23%) or three holidays (21%). 12% or 14% go on holiday four or more times. The main holiday should last an average of 11 days.
And how much can a vacation cost? The planned average expenditure per person for vacation in 2025 is EUR 2,073 - the threshold of planned vacation expenditure of EUR 2,000 is therefore still exceeded, as in the previous year, and highlights the importance of travel and vacation for Austrians. The analysis shows that older people have significantly more money available for vacations. The travel budget here increases from EUR 1,818 per person in Generation Z (1994 - 2010) or EUR 1,758 for Millennials (1980-1993) to EUR 3,390 in the generation of traditionalists (1922 to 1945). The highest vacation budgets per person can be found in western Austria: Tyroleans are at the top with EUR 2,414, followed by Carinthians with EUR 2,366. The top 3 are rounded off by the Viennese, who calculate EUR 2,145 per person for inspiring vacation days.
Holiday trends 2025: Beach holidays top, wellness and adventure trips on trend
Summer, beach, bliss! Beach holidays or holidays by the sea are and remain the number one most popular types of holiday for Austrians. 50% of respondents are planning at least one beach holiday in 2025. City breaks (39%) and wellness holidays or relaxation trips (36%) follow in second and third place, with wellness holidays achieving the largest increase of all types of holiday compared to 2024 at +7%. Active sports holidays (21%) and adventure trips/round trips/road trips (18%; +4% are also providing fresh impetus). Holidays in adults-only resorts are already being targeted by 11% of respondents (+3%). Skiing or winter holidays are on the agenda for 11% of Austrians in 2025, and 11% are also planning a cultural or study trip.
Concrete travel destinations 2025
While only 29% of Austrians are tied to school holidays when planning their vacation, the main travel season remains in summer, especially in July and August. The pre- and post-season, especially April and June, are becoming increasingly popular. The most popular domestic travel destinations are once again Styria (33%,), Carinthia (25%,) and Salzburg (24%,). In Europe, Italy (35%,) is in first place, followed by Croatia (27%,) and Germany (18%,). The longing for faraway destinations also remains unbroken: the diverse USA (16%,) is very popular, followed by Thailand (13%,) and Japan (7%,). Vietnam is on trend with +2% (4%,). The United Arab Emirates (6%,) and the Maldives (4%,) also remain in high demand. And to get to their respective holiday destination, 55% choose to travel by their own car, 43% by plane, 15% by train, 7% travel by bus, 3% by camper van and 2% by rental car.
travel motives and trends
Which travel motives and trends do Austrians find exciting and would they like to incorporate into their travel planning in the future? The respondents are particularly enthusiastic about wellness (55%, slow tourism (27%,) and culinary travel (26%,). Adventure travel (21%,) and sustainable tourism (20%,) are also popular, as are mobile living arrangements (mobile homes, tiny houses, floating houses; 19%,) and the wide range of health and spirituality offerings (17%,). "Learning with locals" is generating interest (11%,), "workation", working in attractive travel destinations, still has room for improvement (6%,), and the social media lifestyle (still) plays a small role (4%,).
The biggest highlights when traveling include nature experiences such as visiting national parks or observing wildlife (34 percent), relaxing days on the beach (33 percent) and meeting friendly locals (29 percent). The biggest "oops" from the Austrians' point of view are excessive prices for tourists (20 percent), bad weather (15 percent) and overcrowded attractions (14 percent). The increased desire for individuality - the increased demand for personalized experiences and even more flexibility - is increasingly flowing into travel planning: 54 percent of respondents want activities and excursions to be adapted to their personal interests. 32 percent want to be flexible about the pace of travel and the length of stay in different places, and a further 28 percent would greatly appreciate spontaneous changes to the travel route or customizable meal options.
Sustainability aspects, i.e. ecological and social responsibility, are important to Austrians when they travel - even if the approval ratings have fallen slightly compared to the previous year. The top priority is still treating the country and its inhabitants with respect (80% of respondents) and protecting local plants and animals (69% of respondents). Promoting the regional economy (54% of respondents), social compatibility of vacation (38% of respondents) and environmentally friendly accommodation (38% of respondents) are also important to Austrians. An environmentally friendly journey is relevant for 36% of respondents.