Vienna’s tourism sector is celebrating its busiest year ever, as an influx of visitors drove a 9% increase in overnight stays in 2024.

The total of 18.9 million nights was accompanied by record revenue from overnight stays, surpassing previous records, according to statistics released by the Vienna Tourist Board.

“2024 was the most successful year for city tourism in Vienna since records began,” Vienna Tourist Board CEO Norbert Kettner said.

“In a challenging global economic environment, Vienna’s city tourism sector has proved to be a driver of value-added, creating year-round jobs directly at the location.”

The city also saw a significant revenue boost, reaching EUR1.2 billion between January and November, a 12% increase compared with 2023.

Around 82% of these overnight stays were by international visitors, with Germany topping the list with 3.46 million overnight stays, followed by Austria and the US.

The biggest spenders came from the US, with Americans accounting for the most revenue per overnight stay in the five-star hotel category. Around two thirds of the city’s hotel beds are in the four and five star categories.

Meanwhile, markets like China and Japan, which have demonstrated a slower recovery from pre-pandemic levels, showed impressive growth, with China even making a strong return to the top ten markets in terms of overnight stay revenue.

Looking ahead, the city has a packed events calendar which the city’s tourism board expects to keep numbers rising. In 2025, the city will celebrate the 200th anniversary of Johann Strauss II’s birth. The “King of Waltz. Queen of Music.” theme will feature 65 productions at 69 locations.

In addition to this, Vienna will spotlight 16 local neighborhoods through the “Heartbeat Streets” initiative, showcasing the city’s diversity beyond the city centre. Visitors can also enjoy 30 themed city walks.