Has the economic crisis of 2009 affected the economic development of Austria Trend Hotels Group?
In the city tourism sector, we had to register a considerable slowdown in incentive and event tourism for the past year. For 2010, however, we already see clear signs of improvement. With regards to standard holiday tourism, last year was a rather mixed year. On the one hand, there was a substantial increase in overnight stays in Austria, as more Austrians vacationed in their own country; on the other hand, there is a definite trend towards low-priced packages, which lead to a price war in the city hotel business. As a group, we can hold our ground in this market, since we are a strong partner for our customers all over Austria.
With the holiday resort in Fieberbrunn and a hotel in Bratislava, you opened two new houses in 2009 despite the crisis. Are there further plans for expansion at Austria Trend Hotel Group?
In 2010, we will commence the complete restoration of Parkhotel Schönbrunn. In 2011, we will open a business hotel beside the T-Center in Vienna’s Erdberg district, as well as a city hotel next to the Museum of Technology, opposite Schönbrunn castle. By the end of 2011, restoration work at Parkhotel Schönbrunn should be completed as well.
Will there also be new openings outside the country?
In the CEE region, we are currently waiting to see if and to what degree the announced economic upswing is really occurring. But we are permanently keeping an eye on this market, and if we find a property that is of interest to us, we can quickly make a decision thanks to our solid economic base and know-how. We are currently managing approximately 5,000 rooms with 10,000 beds in Austria, Slovakia and Slovenia; we are the clear market leader in Austria and therefore not under pressure to expand.
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