View on the Burgtheater from Christmas market on City Hall

Tourists from the Middle East are flocking to Vienna and from January to October overnight stays from the UAE have soared 48.2% compared to 2014, recording 110,663 visitors so far. Arrivals have also seen a similar explosive growth, with 50,891 from the UAE, up by 44.8% when compared with the previous year. Saudi Arabia also recorded a 20.4% growth in overnights, and arrivals increased by 19.4%.

As a destination, Vienna has a high international appeal, with more than 80% of visitors coming from outside Austria’s borders. Of the 13.5 million overnight stays Vienna reported in 2014, around 20% were accounted for by German guests and 18% by Austrians. The next largest incoming markets were the USA, Italy and Russia. Guests from the GCC made up for approximately 295,000 overnight stays in 2014.

“Vienna sees most visitors from the region in summer, but the Vienna Tourist Board also registered a significant growth of visitors from the GCC in the winter months. While tourists in summer enjoy the numerous street cafés and walks in the more than 850 green parks of the city, winter invites with shopping experiences in international designer brand stores in the UNESCO heritage protected city centre, cosy coffeehouses and pastry shops – a centerpiece of Viennese culture – or a stroll over the romantically illuminated season markets,” said Vienna Tourism Board’s Verena Hable at an exclusive event at the Ritz-Carlton DIFC.