Travelers who make up the Millennial growth market are an excellent match for a trip of discovery to Austria trip. When Millennials were asked what motivates them to travel in the 2015 MMGY Global Portrait of American Travelers, 70 percent said they want exploration and 68 percent are looking to experience different cultures. Just over half (52 percent) of Millennial travelers, according to the survey, are looking to discover themselves, while almost half (48 percent) want to pursue a hobby during vacation. Austria offers all this and more; these suggested activities are just a sample of all that Millennials can enjoy during their Austrian vacation.
Active Austria
Austria’s magnificent ski areas turn into wondrous alpine hiking trails in the summer months. Millennials will especially appreciateInnsbruck’s free hiking program. The Innsbruck Guest Card gives visitors to Innsbruck and its 25 holiday villages access to the hiker’s bus, equipment, and the opportunity to go on guided hikes all at no charge from June to the end of October. In the Arlberg region, the free St. Anton Summer Card or the Lech Card not only gives visitors access to the area’s network of hiking trails, but other activities including swimming, cable car rides, golf, wellness programs, and unlimited use of the local buses.
Hiking outside of Salzburg includes the Krimml Waterfalls, which are two hours southwest of the city and are central Europe’s tallest waterfalls. It’s a 90-minute hike to the top of the Falls.Grossglockner High Alpine Road is located one hour and 40 minutes from Salzburg. The 12,460 foot Grossglockner is the highest mountain in Austria. A number of hiking routes start at 8,200 feet at the foot of the mountain and include national park ranger guided tours. Grossglockner is part of the Hohe Tauern National Park, which is the largest, contiguous and cross-country natural and cultural region in the Alps. It is home to 266 mountain peaks over 9,800 feet and 551 lakes.
Outdoor adventures abound at Area 47 in the Tirol region in the Ötztal Valley. Guests can challenge one of the world’s tallest high ropes courses and climbing towers, go rafting, canoeing, guided caving, explore the water park, and more.
Cultural Austria Off the Beaten Track
Millennials can celebrate the summer and fall seasons with outdoor concerts and other cultural events while in Austria. In July and August, the Innsbruck Promenade Concerts take over the central courtyard of the Imperial Palace with free events from brass bands to musical ensembles from all over Europe performing classical to contemporary music.
In the small village of Erl, about an hour’s drive from Innsbruck and Salzburg, is where the Tyrolean Music Festival Erl takes place in July. The classical music event, which began in 1978, is led by music director Gustav Kuhn.
Fall, from early September to mid-October, brings more than 40cattle drives throughout Tirol, including in St. Anton am Arlberg, with brass bands accompanying the festivities. Innsbruck’s holiday villages hold their cattle drives and harvest festivals in October.
Foodies should head to Graz, where culinary festivals take place throughout the year. One August event is The Long Table of Graz, where Graz’s top restaurants set up banquet tables in the city’s main square for guests to enjoy gourmet meals. Foodies and techies will also enjoy the South Styrian Wine Road, 2.5 hours southwest of Vienna. They can download a self-guided, 45-minute to one-hour GPS tour of Austria’s wine country to a smartphone or tablet and off they go exploring the region.