On the road to the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, the Austrian Olympic Committee (ÖOC) hosted an exclusive Austria House partner event in Vienna. Around 100 guests from tourism, business, politics, sports, and media met on Tuesday evening in the Christoph Leitl Lounge on the 12th floor of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKÖ), overlooking Vienna at night, to learn about and discuss the Austria House 2026 project.
The Austria House – a red-white-red fixture at the Olympic Games – is celebrating its analog winter comeback in Cortina and will once again serve as a central platform for hospitality, networking, and brand presence. The location is the historic Jägerhaus, nestled in one of Europe's most spectacular winter landscapes – right next to Olympic venues such as the legendary women's ski racecourse "Olimpia delle Tofane," the new ice track "Pista olimpica Eugenio Monti," and the curling hall with the evocative name "Stadio olimpico del ghiaccio."
Austrian Olympic Committee (ÖOC) President Horst Nussbaumer emphasized: “The Austria House has been a fixture at the Olympic Games for many years. It is – I would almost say – a magical place, with which everyone who has experienced it has a special connection. For many years, it has stood at the Olympic Games for what is important to us as the ÖOC and what we live by together with our partners: athletes and their achievements are paramount; we are committed to excellence, unity, openness, joy, and hospitality.” The Austria House is “a beacon of Austrian identity. It is a meeting place and hub for tourism, business, and politics, for sports and media, a stage for Austrian successes, but also a home for our athletes. It is a place where achievements are recognized and relationships are strengthened, a place where our partners can present themselves, where networks are formed – essentially a showcase of Austria’s achievements in the most impressive setting of the Olympics.”
Austrian Olympic Committee (ÖOC) Secretary General Florian Gosch emphasized the nature of the project: “For us, the Austria House is not simply an entry in the Olympic calendar that repeats itself every two years. It is a passion project, a piece of home that we are sharing with the world for our Olympic athletes, together with our strong partners.” The concept in Cortina combines hospitality, communication, and content production. “In the heart of the Dolomites, we are creating a genuine meeting place for athletes, partners, and media – but also for international visibility. We will make the Austrian way of life authentically tangible.”
With premium partner Austria Tourism and top partners Tyrol Tourism, Austrian Lotteries, backaldrin – The Kornspitz Company, Doppelmayr, Austrian Mint and the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, the Austria House is strategically and content-wise strongly positioned.
Accordingly, the anticipation is high for Astrid Steharnig-Staudinger, CEO of the Austrian National Tourist Office: “The Olympics are far more than sport; they are about emotion, encounters, and global visibility. With the Austria House, we are bringing the Austrian way of life to the world’s greatest winter sports stage. In Paris, together with the Austrian Olympic Committee and our other partners, we already demonstrated how impressively Austria can present itself as a united front, and I am convinced that we will achieve something truly great again in Cortina. Together, we will make Austria tangible on site – authentic, warm, and with that zest for life that makes us unique.”
Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKÖ) Secretary General Jochen Danninger sees a great economic opportunity in Cortina: “The Austria House in Cortina is an international stage for top Austrian achievements – and not only in winter sports, but also in entrepreneurship. As a partner of the Austrian Olympic Committee (ÖOC), the WKÖ contributes to positioning Austria as an innovative business location and opening up new business opportunities in the global sports industry.”
Christian Wührer, Head of Research and Innovation at Tirol Werbung, emphasized the regional focus: “Tyrol lives and breathes winter sports – and Cortina is practically on our doorstep. The Austria House is an ideal stage to showcase Tyrol’s alpine expertise – from tourism quality to innovative strength. With our presence, we want to make the Tyrol brand authentically tangible and build emotional bridges between our region and an international audience.”
Patrick Minar, Head of Corporate Communications at Austrian Lotteries, emphasized the social responsibility: “For us, the Olympics are not just a stage for top-level sport, but also for values. The Austria House gives us the opportunity to make our commitment to sport, fair play and social cohesion visible – and shows how important strong partnerships are for sustainable sports promotion.”
Wolfgang Mayer, Managing Director of backaldrin – The Kornspitz Company, emphasized the emotional power of culinary delights: “With the aroma of fresh bread, apple strudel and Kornspitz rolls, we are bringing a piece of home to the heart of the Olympic event. The Olympic bakery is not only a culinary highlight, but also part of our identity – a symbol of genuine hospitality and a lived connection between food, culture and sport.”
Jürgen Pichler, Head of Group Marketing at Doppelmayr, emphasized the technological dimension: “The Olympics are an inspiration – and the Austria House is an ideal place to showcase what Austrian engineering can achieve in the alpine region. With our presence, we want to make innovation visible, build bridges between sport and technology, and provide new impetus for future-proof infrastructures.”
Eric Stoklassa, Head of Marketing at the Austrian Mint, added, with regard to tradition and symbolism: “The connection between Olympic gold and our Philharmonic coins is more than symbolic – it stands for excellence, appreciation, and continuity. At the Austria House, we demonstrate that Austrian culture and craftsmanship also have a powerful impact in the sporting context.” Following the official program, attendees networked in a relaxed atmosphere – with a view to Cortina 2026 and the next red-white-red Olympic success story.
The Austria House in Cortina d'Ampezzo will open its doors to guests from Austria, Italy, and around the world on February 6, 2026. More information is available here. austria-house.at.