Last update: 5/02/12

Austrians not impressed by rising rents!

Almost one out of five Austrians consider investing in real estate within the next 12 months, according to an investigation. This of course would drive up property prices.

Public opinion agency Integral found that 19 per cent of Austrians planned to spend money on properties in the coming 12 months – five per cent more than in the previous quarter. The research group’s check also shows that 16 per cent considered investing in gold. Around two in three Austrians think about opening a savings account in the next 12 months – despite extremely low interest rates and high inflation.

News that the number of people considering buying real estate is increasing comes as a surprise since purchase prices and rents are on the rise. Real estate information platform Find My Home recently spoke with Viennese real estate agents to find that flat rent rates were expected to soar further in 2012 and the years to come.

Experts said that high demand for medium-prized apartments and very few offers in some areas of the capital would intensify the upward price cycle. Other industrial regions of the country will experience similar developments, according to analysts – who also warned that prices would not remain stable in rural regions either.

To read the full article, go to our news pages: click here 

30/01/12

The Alpine village of the Far East: Chinese build replica of Austrian village!

Ski regions succeed with Free Internet

IT experts in charge of providing two of Austria’s biggest ski resorts have said they are satisfied with tourists’ response to the new offer.

Salzburg’s winter sport resort of Amade and the Sölden glacier region, East Tyrol, as well as several other resorts across the country set up free of charge wireless local area network (WLAN) connections at lift stations and information centres.

The organisers masterminding the projects at Amade and Sölden glacier told the Kurier newspaper today (Thurs) that skiers and snowboarders reacted positively to the opportunity. More than 12,000 holidaymakers logged in with their smartphones and notebooks at Amade so far this month, according to the paper’s report.

Holiday industry experts think that services such as the most recent provision with WLAN internet access are developing into a decisive criterion of people when it comes to choosing their holiday destination. They also underline the various positive effects for the holiday regions if tourists send pictures and texts to friends and families on a regular basis this way.

16/01/12

Two people die on slopes of Salzburg

Two people died on Sunday while skiing in Salzburg.A 70-year-old Pole died on the Aineck, Katschberg, Lungau. The lifeless man had been found by other skiers on the slopes.

Four randomly passing doctors from Germany tried to resuscitate the tourist but to no avail. The team flying in on the rescue helicopter could only confirm the man's death. The police suspect he died of natural causes.

A 53-year-old German died suddenly on Sunday on the slopes in the Pinzgau region. The man was skiing in Saalbach and suddenly collapsed and was found lifeless on the slopes.

Three passers-by and ski rescuers provided first aid. When the ambulance arrived it could only confirm his death.

report by  Luis Monse

10/01/12

Ski resorts forced to close as a result of too much snow

Ski resorts forced to remain closed by a lack of snow in December have now been forced to close many runs because of too much snow.

Ski resorts across Austria and Switzerland say they are now struggling to cope after metres of snow combined with high winds and stormy conditions over the past 48 hours left runs blocked or in danger of avalanches.

Changeable temperatures combined with high winds and new snow has put many ski resorts across Tirol, Salzburg and Vorarlberg on high avalanche alert. Temperatures are expected to drop dramatically over the weekend and winds today (Friday) have already reached over 170 kph making conditions even more treacherous.

Avalanche experts are working around the clock to assess the risks and where necessary and possible are carrying out controlled detonations. Rudi Mair, manager of the avalanche action team in Tirol said: "With winds peaking at 170 kph we can safely talk about a hurricane. Heavy new snow, freezing temperatures and the hurricane we are talking about high risk. The avalanche risk across Tirol is high and it will rise.

The high winds in particular are a threat to ski lifts which have been forced to close as the winds from "Hurricane Andrea" are too high - making conditions highly dangerous. The high winds also risk dislodging snow from high peaks.

Herbert Kaufmann form Dornbirn Seilbahn AG - the lift company in Dornbirn, Voarlberg said: "We have around twenty people stuck in the restaurant at the top of the mountain still as we are unable to put the lifts back into action. But at least the chef is stuck too and he can make food."

Winter safety expert Erich Schwarzler from the Austrian province of Vorarlberg said: "We are on high alert, we have army helicopters and avalanche teams on 24 hour standby.

04/01/12

Tourism registers Russian guest increase

The number of Russians spending their holidays in Austria is soaring.

ÖW, the Austrian Tourism Marketing Agency, said yesterday (Tues) that 360,000 Russians came to the country in the first 11 months of this year – 31.6 per cent more than in the same time span of 2010. More than half of them spent their vacation at hotels of the four and five star category, according to statistics.

Austria is, according to polls, the most popular winter sports destination of Russians. However, people from the Eurasian nation also enjoy trips to the alpine country’s capital. Vienna’s hotels recorded 36 per cent more overnight stays by Russian holidaymakers last month than in November 2010. The number of overnight stays booked by Spaniards (plus 28 per cent) and Swiss (plus 16 per cent) soared as well. Overall, 858,000 overnight stays took place at Viennese hotels and guesthouses in November, 4.9 per cent more than in the same month of last year.

30/12/11

Austrian 'coffee know how' to challenge oriental tea!

Over a third of all the Chinese tourists coming to Europe end up in Austria with Salzburg the most popular place to visit according to statistics revealed by the Chinese ambassador in an exclusive interview with the Austrian Times.

He also revealed that despite the economic crisis business was also booming between the two countries with similar increases in trade in the same way as the tourism business had expanded.

Ambassador Shi Mingde said that there was a tremendous fascination in China with Austria as a business partner and tourism destination which had its roots in Austria's courageous decision in 1971 to establish bilateral ties with China in a time of political unrest and Cold War tension.

He said: "There is no doubt that the decision by Austria which was a neutral country to open ties with China was a brave decision. It is also one which China has always valued and which is where we are now with such close ties between the two countries. It was a very brave act."

He said that his embassy now had a staff of more than 30 diplomats working full-time to satisfy the demand from everything from students looking for grants to study in China through to various questions from the 600 existing Austrian businesses now active in China - and the hundreds of others hoping to do business there.

For more on this story click on our news blogs.

17/12/11

Austrians' spending power slides

Austria remains one of the richest countries in Europe – but new figures also show that people’s purchasing power is waning.

The European Commission’s (EC) statistics agency, Eurostat, said yesterday (Tues) Austria had the fifth-strongest purchasing power among the European Union’s (EU) 27 member countries last year. The alpine country, which became a member of the EU in 1995, was in fourth place in 2009. Denmark overtook Austria as far as spending power is regarded, Eurostat explained.

Luxembourg comes first considering spending power in the EU, with the Netherlands coming second. Economically challenged Ireland is third. Eurostat said Austrians’ spending power was found to be at 126 per cent if the EU average is set at 100 per cent. Luxembourg achieved 271 per cent, Ireland reached 128 per cent. Denmark’s purchasing power was just one percentage point lower than the one of Ireland in 2010.

The research – which considers countries’ per capita gross domestic products (GDPs) – identified Bulgaria (44 per cent) and Romania (46 per cent) as the EU’s poorest countries. Crisis-stricken Greece achieved a spending power of 90 per cent, while Italy was above the average (101 per cent). The purchasing power of Spain, where people are bracing for dramatic austerity measures, resembles the EU average at exactly 100 per cent.

11/12/11

Man wins 37 million on Fruit machine..maybe?

A gambler who thought he had won £37million on a fruit machine has been offered a free meal and £60 instead, after casino bosses said the jackpot was due to a ‘software error’.

Behar Merlaku, 26, played the winning machine at a casino in Bregenz, Austria. Despite only getting four of the slot machine's five required matches, Mr Merlaku was told he had won the massive jackpot -  complete with a winning bell and flashing screen.

However when he went to claim his prize, the Swiss player was instead offered the money and meal by casino bosses after they refused to pay out.

Now the disgruntled 26-year-old is to launch a lawsuit in Austria next month to force the casino to honour the 'win', which Mr Merlaku's lawyers says he is entitled to because of the what machine said. The civil action, thought to be the biggest claim of its kind anywhere in the world, is being keenly watched by gaming operators everywhere.

The incident happened in a Casinos Austria AG establishment at Bregenz, which is run by a company which also has UK outlets, on March 26 this year.

Reported by UK's Daily Mail.

1/12/11

Austria given AAA financial rating

The press is full of doom and despondency stories about the Euro and credit rating, and it makes one wonder if they are talking themselves into a crisis?  Say it enough times and it must be true...welll let's hope for the world economy they have got it wrong.  For Austria, all three financial assessment firms, Moody's, S&P and Fitch, Credit rated Austria AAA for investment security.  This is a very good confidence booster for people considering to invest in European property.

Austria of course is not immune to the troubles of Europe, being a large tourist attraction.  With all the concerns, people are not taking the holidays they used to do, and this will have an effect on all tourism related economies...even the uK.

24/11/11

Xmas markets want homeless vendors to stay out

Possibly a lack of Christmas spirit as Homeless people may be banned from selling a street newspaper at some of Vienna’s most popular Christmas markets. It is felt there are too many street vendors in one place.

Die Presse reports that seven markets were unhappy with the situation. The head of an agency promoting Viennese Christmas markets told the daily that managers of some markets counted up to 20 vendors of Augustin, Vienna’s best-known street magazine. The monthly magazine is offered by homeless people registered as salespeople. The monthly magazine costs 2.50 Euros apiece. Half the price goes directly to the vendor. The other 1.25 Euros are used to finance the production of the magazine which is created by a small team of editors and a large number of voluntary contributors. The Augustin management also runs an online store and a programme on radio station Orange.

Die Presse reports that managers of Christmas markets are considering ordering security staff to ask Augustin vendors to leave after a proposal by the promotion agency in charge fell on deaf ears. The enterprise suggested that Augustin should assign only one vendor per market who would then not be barred from selling the paper while additional salespeople would be prohibited offering the Augustin to people visiting Christmas markets. Some of the federal capital’s busiest Christmas markets – including the ones at city hall square and Belvedere Palace – are entangled in the debate, according to Die Press.

18/11/11

Viennese Xmas market seen as a rip-off

One of Austria’s most famous Christmas markets was branded as overcrowded and overly cheesy in a survey.

Around 1,000 Austrians were asked by pollster Marketagent for their favourite Christmas markets. Vienna’s city hall square (Rathausplatz) market was identified as the best known but also most cheesy. It was criticised as too crowded and fared badly considering aspects like prices and food quality. The market in front of Vienna’s Schönbrunn Palace made first place when it came to identify the Christmas market Austrians would miss the most were it forced to shut for some reason.

Salzburg’s tradition-rich Christkindlmarkt – situated at Mirabell Square – topped the Marketagent check when it came to price-performance ratio regards and markets’ atmosphere. The market made the top five of an US travel platform last year. American broadcaster CNN’s CNNGo website listed it fourth in November 2010. CNNGo said it was "hard not to be charmed" by the "Christmas cliché upon Christmas cliché" at the market located in the heart of the city where composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born and raised. A Christmas market in Reykjavik, Iceland, topped the CNNGo list.

Austrians spend 35 Euros per capita on hot drinks, food and traditional products when attending one of the country’s many Christmas markets, a spokesman for Marketagent said yesterday (Thurs). A nice atmosphere is regarded as most important by Austrians, the agency’s study showed. However, staff’s friendliness and high quality of beverages and culinary offers matter a lot as well.

People from all over the world are coming to Austria each winter to visit Christmas markets, go skiing and attend spas. Most holidaymakers booking rooms in the countryside and in cities come from Germany, the Netherlands and Austria itself. A strong surge of Russian tourists were registered all over Austria last winter. Especially the province of Tyrol was popular with the Eurasian country’s new middle class and its millionaires. Statistik Austria said the number of overnight stays booked by Russians in Austria rose by 27.3 per cent from November 2009 to March 2010 to the same time span of the next winter vacation period.

11/11/11

The Von Trapps fact and fiction in Salzburg at last

Over 52 years after it first appeared on Broadway, Salzburg has finally welcomed the Sound of Music home. In a reunion of the real and the Rogers and Hamerstein Von Trapps, the city at the foot of the Untersberg is truly alive with the Sound of Music.

To a diehard Sound of Music fan, of which there are around 1,424,012 according to the Facebook page, the fairy-tale city of Salzburg provides not only a suitable backdrop in front of which to consume large amounts of Mozart Kugeln and Kasnocken (small irregularly shaped dumplings with melted cheese) but a place in which to jump, twirl and do-re-mi like a complete fool.

It is this influx of around 300,000 tourists every year, who come with the sole purpose of taking part in the Sound of Music experience, which has created such ambivalence amongst Salzburgers and Austrians in general since the film’s release in 1965.

Apart from the buses which roll around the outskirts of the city, sporting Julie Andrews’s jubilant face, there is little else to reveal the city for the Sound of Music mecca that it truly is. As kitsch as the film may be, the locations revealed on the ever popular Panorama Tour are simply spectacular in their own right not warranting any Sound of Music signage.

It is no great surprise however that to locals these tour buses are nothing more than a blip on their otherwise perfect landscape. "It is not that we don’t like the film but only that we don’t know anything about it," said Anna Waid from Salzburg. "All we know is that it is factually incorrect." It is this very illusion that Rogers and Hammerstein were attempting to create anything but a fiction that directors of the new musical are trying to shatter.

Attempts to bring the musical back to Salzburg were made 12 years ago but had a frosty reception. Attitudes in the last few years however have changed, believes Burt Fink, Vice-President of Communications at Rodger’s & Hammerstein, with young Austrians encountering The Sound of Music everywhere they go. With "flashmobs" taking place around the Old Town and the iconic songs now ringing out in German, even past generations of locals can no longer ignore the fact that The Sound of Music is here to stay in Salzburg. "We always knew we would have to wait for Salzburg to find a place for us in their hearts," said Fink.

By Rebecca Musgrave

8/11/11

Stolen Klimt painting sells for 30 million Euros

 A Gustav Klimt landscapepainting  has sold for 30 million Euros in New York. The painting, entitled "Litzlberg am Attersee" was stolen by the Nazis in Austria in 1938 and recently returned to the owner this year.

The painting, which depicts rolling hills beside a lake, was in The Salzburg Museum of Modern Art until last summer but was recently returned to the family of the original Jewish owner.

Sotheby’s in New York expected the painting to fetch 25 million dollars but this figure was surpassed, the landscape’s final sale price was 40.4 million dollars.

30/10/11

Spielberg on his Austrian namesake

Steven Spielberg has disclosed the secret of his alleged Austrian roots.

Rumour has it that Spielberg’s ancestors originate from Spielberg, a town in the Austrian province of Styria. The three-time Academy Award for Best Director laureate told Austrian magazine News: "Fact is that my family come from Ukraine. They once cultivated agricultural estates in Austria and then accepted the name – which was not unusual in those days."

The filmmaker said he was "confused" about a metal plate he was sent from the town which bears the same name as his family. "My sister had to explain to me that it is a place-name sign from Spielberg. I have never visited the town but I want to catch up on that," he said.

Spielberg refused to reveal whether he could imagine shooting a movie in Austrian capital Vienna, but explained: "I love Vienna because my son, Max, said his first sentence there. He must have been 19 months old. (...) We were standing at our hotel window overlooking a busy road when he suddenly said ‘I see a bus’ after not having muttered a word ever before."

23/10/11

Hotel prices plunge in Vienna

Hotels in Vienna are not bucking the European trend of decreasing prices, an investigation has shown.

International holiday platform Trivago, which manages the Trivago Hotel Price Index (THPI), announced that a double room in the Austrian capital costs 133 Euros this month, down by seven per cent compared to last month. The average hotel price for all of the 50 cities across the continent the website checked dropped at exactly the same rate. Prices declined in 35 locations, a spokesman for Trivago said.

The October price decline could help Vienna in achieving a new annual overnight stay record. Around 1.18 million overnight stays were counted by the city’s hotels in August – more than ever before that month since statistics have been kept on the issue. Vienna’s tourism industry strongly benefited from increased interest by Chinese holidaymakers (plus 50 per cent compared to August 2010) and Russians (plus 21 per cent).

Viennese tourism officials decided some months ago to focus on unusual marketing activities to make the city a desirable vacation destination for people from all over Europe. The tourism office of the Austrian capital arranged that the smell of Viennese coffee was spread on public transport platforms in Bucharest. It also organised an exhibition of replicas of masterpieces on display at museums in Vienna at a station of the Metro train network in Paris, France.

16/10/11

Vienna to get Inter religious centre funded by Saudi Arabia

The Austrian Greens and moderate Muslims are infuriated after the Austrian foreign minister agreed with Saudi Arabian officials to set up an inter religious centre in Vienna.

Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor Michael Spindelegger and high-ranking representatives from Spain and Saudi Arabia signed a contract sealing their intention to create such an institution in Vienna. The institution will be located at Schottenring in the heart of the Austrian capital. Both left-wing politicians and conservative media criticised the agreement for various reasons.

Die Presse pointed out that "hardly any other country in the world" allowed less religious freedom than Saudi Arabia. "(Christian) masses can only be held secretly in private houses. Those who turn away from Islam are facing the death penalty," the conservative newspaper reports.

10/10/11

Austrians see high multi-ethnic conflict potential

A new survey has revealed a significant potential for conflicts between Austrians and foreigners.

A poll by the Centre for Future Studies of Salzburg’s FH higher education college shows that 53 per cent of Austrians considered the change that existing difficulties in the coexistence of themselves and immigrants could worsen as "very high".

Around 45 per cent of interviewed Austrians said the same considering Christians and Muslims while 31 per cent were of the same opinion as far as the situation between rich and poor was regarded.

More than 1,000 Austrians aged 15 and older were questioned for the study which comes shortly after People's Party (ÖVP) Interior Minister Johanna Mikl-Leitner said police and prosecutors recorded 580 breaches of law with xenophobic, far-right, racist, anti-Semitic and islamophobic background last year. The minister declared that this was an increase of 28 per cent compared to 2009.

It has to be seen whether poll’s results will have any impact on the government’s attempts to create more understanding for each other among Austrians and foreigners. The coalition of Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the conservative ÖVP presented Sebastian Kurz as the country’s first state secretary for integration in April.

Referring to the strong performance in polls by Freedom Party (FPÖ) boss Heinz-Christian Strache, Kurz recently said: "Many people can currently identify with Strache. Nevertheless, I have no interest in parroting his words."

The deputy leader of the Viennese department of the ÖVP said about the right-winger’s controversial anti-immigration campaign: "It would be an easy thing to do to say a few slogans to become more popular and garner extra votes – but this is not my approach."

Kurz added he was "not Austria’s anti-Strache." The ÖVP official said he would not define himself "with what I am against."

Speaking about the tense climate between many Austrians and the country’s growing Islamic community, the state secretary appealed on immigrants to actively participate in the society and "feel as self-confident Muslims and Austrians at the same time."

Over half a million of Austria’s populace of 8.5 million are Muslims. At the same time, the country’s Catholic community is shrinking dramatically – a development which several other European countries are experiencing as well.

01/10/11

Farmer suffers over 50 wasp stings

A farmer is in intensive care after being stung by dozens of wasps.

Officials in Bischofshofen, Salzburg, said yesterday (Sun) the 28-year-old man suffered at least 50 stings during work on a meadow. He may have accidentally run over a nest the insects had set up in bushes with his tractor on Saturday, they added. He was airlifted to a clinic in Schladming, Styria. His condition is stable, according to a radio news report this morning.

Just a few days ago, a 42-year-old was hospitalised after he had been attacked by wasps in the attic of his house in Ebbs, Tyrol. The man turned on a radiant heater, assuming that a sudden increase of temperature may scare off the insects. When the wasps failed to relocate, he planned to spray their nest with expanding foam – which was blown up due to the heat. He was injured by the explosion which also caused damage to the building.

26/09/11

Air Berlin fights to get back in black

Air Berlin – which holds a 49.9 per cent stake in Austrian low-cost carrier FlyNiki – has set up more than 30 task forces to become more competitive.

CEO Hartmut Mehdorn explained yesterday (Weds) the carrier wanted to "regain its strength" shortly. Air Berlin’s fleet is set to shrink from 170 to 152 planes in the coming months. The company plans to reduce its flight movements by four per cent by next summer. Mehdorn promised possible cuts would not affect the quality of customer service or safety issues.

Mehdorn took over at Air Berlin only on 1 September. His appointment came shortly after Joachim Hunold quit. The businessman started working for the airline in 1991. Hunold explained he decided to resign to herald a "clear cut" which should help the Berlin-based firm getting back in the black.

Air Berlin – Germany’s second-biggest airline after the Lufthansa Group – sustained a loss of 188 million Euros in the first three months of 2011. The carrier, which has been cooperating with FlyNiki since 2004, most recently made a profit in 2007.

FlyNiki boss Niki Lauda told the Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper he was "convinced" Air Berlin would achieve a profit in 2012. The Austrian businessman stressed he had no regrets about teaming up with Air Berlin. "I was right (to agree on partnering up). I would not have 21 aircrafts and 4.2 million passengers (in 2010) otherwise," he said.

21/09/11

Autopsy ordered as Austrian dies during dive

An Austrian woman has died during a dive in the Adriatic.

The 49-year-old fell unconscious when she and a diving instructor returned to the surface on Thursday. An emergency doctor had to declare the tourist dead when he arrived at the shore on Krk, an Croatian island.

The country’s traffic and infrastructure ministry announced today (Mon) an autopsy would be carried out in the city of Rijeka to find out why she had died.

The woman from Salzburg’s Pinzgau region was a member of a group of eight divers. She had a lot of diving experience, according to reports.

The news comes weeks after a 53-year-old man from Austria passed away during a dive in the Adriatic Sea near Rabac, Croatia.

03/09/11

EasyJet to fly to Salzburg from UK - December

Budget airline EasyJet is to launch a new route to Salzburg.

The route will begin its operation on December 17 of this year, and will fly from Luton airport to the Austrian city twice per week

for as little as £27.99 one way including taxes.

Besides property owners, the airline is hoping to attract skiers as well as people who are interested in exploring the city.

There will be 9,000 seats for sale from today on the brand new route, which will be the airline’s 33rd route from Luton Airport.

31/08/11

Vienna Airport sees 'no alternative' to third runway!

Flughafen Wien AG (FW) boss Christoph Herbst has angered groups of protesters by pointing out that there is "no alternative" to his firm to the construction of a third runway at Vienna International Airport (VIA or VIE).

Herbst said yesterday (Mon) VIA would become a "regular airport" while another runway would strengthen it in its role as an important hub. He said VIA would be turned into a "regular airport" if the number of runways was not increased. The businessman pointed out that airlines operating at VIA, Austria’s largest aerodrome, were currently offering links to 40 destinations in Eastern Europe (EE).

The FW head – who will pass on his agendas to new co-chiefs Julian Jäger and Günther Ofner on Thursday – claimed VIA’s quality of services would deteriorate if FW’s request to set up a third runway got rejected. VIA can cope with more than 70 flight movements at the moment, according to Herbst. Up to 100 takeoffs and landings were possible with three runways, he added.

Herbst attended the first of a series of meetings with opponents of the project in Schwechat’s Multiversum event complex yesterday. Backers and critics of the plan to build a third runway had met for talks already in 2000 and 2005. They gathered again after experts judged that the construction of the 3,680-metre landing strip would be environmentally acceptable. Their report also suggested that noise higher than 10 decibel would be registered only in uninhabited areas.

Critics claimed the construction of a new landing strip would be an "assault on the region" and "unnecessary." They said the people of Schwechat, other Lower Austrian towns and some districts of Vienna were already challenged by noise, fine dust and ozone. The group of opponents called on FW to seek a partnership with M. R. Stefanik Airport (BTS) near Slovakian capital Bratislava instead of pressing on with the landing strip project.

24/08/11

Heatwave hits Austria

The current week is expected to be the hottest of this year, meteorologists said on Tuesday.

Experts explained this week’s top daytime temperatures of between 30 and 38 degrees centigrade were likely to make it the hottest week of the whole year. They did not rule out that previous temperature records for August could be broken in the coming days. The Central Agency for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG) said the Lower Austrian town of Zwerndorf registered 38.6 degrees centigrade in August 2003, one of the hottest months in the past decades.

Ice cream parlour managers and pool bosses are welcoming the news while car clubs warn drivers to pay attention. Motorists’ association Arbö said today drivers’ focus was often worsening in the heat. There are usually more accidents on extremely hot days, according to the organisation. The hottest days of 2010 were 13, 14 and 15 July. An average 94 car crashes happened on these three days, up from around 70 on three days in the same time span of 2009. Experts appealed to drivers to take breaks, drink lots of water and abstain from speeding especially when the quicksilver soars.

Meteorologists explained they could already say with certainty that the current month would go down as one of the hottest since weather records started to be taken in 1767. Thunderstorms and a slight decrease in temperatures are expected for the weekend, according to ZAMG which warned of high ozone levels for the coming days. The agency also explained a significant decline in top daytime temperatures was expected for early September. High pressure and subtropical air from North Africa are responsible for the current conditions, ZAMG said, adding that nights were set to be hotter than usual as well in the remainder of this week.

12/08/11

Citizenships of Austria surge in 2011

The number of people gaining citizenship by naturalisation is rising again according to Austria's statistics office.

In the first six months of 2011, 3,420 foreigners received Austrian citizenship, that is 656 naturalisations more than in the same period last year, an increase of nearly 24 per cent.

Most new Austrians originate from Bosnia-Herzegovina. Even if the number of citizenship granted by naturalisation has risen significantly this year, it is still well below the levels of past years. 2009, when more rigid citizenship laws came into effect resulting in longer waiting times, 4,243 people received naturalization in the first half of the year. These figures are far from those of earlier years. For example in 2003 more than 45,000 naturalisations had been conducted.

In some counties the number of naturalisations also decreased this year. Burgenland saw a 33 per cent decline, in Carinthia it was 25.5 per cent and in Salzburg 4 per cent lower than last year.

The larger states saw significant increases. In Lower Austria the number of naturalisations has increased from 364 last year to 595 (+63.5 per cent) and in Vienna from 635 to 1,014 (+60 per cent). The reason for granting citizenship by naturalisation was the legal claim in a scarce majority of the cases.

The naturalized citizens were on average 25.8 years old, the rate of women was 53.5 per cent. Former Bosnia-Herzegovinians made up the largest group of new Austrians (18.4 per cent), followed by people from Turkey (17.0) and Kosovo (8.6). Citizens from a total of 98 different countries were naturalized.

Two cases of attained citizenship will be disputed in autumn however. Two Russian-born businessmen will face trial on accusations that they paid Austria's former flamboyant right-wing politician Jörg Haider more than one million US dollars (708,300 Euros) in bribes to obtain citizenship, prosecutors said on Tuesday.

Hyatt and Prada head for Vienna

The city centre of Vienna is to get its 16th five-star hotel, it was disclosed today (Thurs).

Real estate tycoon Rene Benko announced contracts with international luxury hotel operator Hyatt were signed in Zurich, Switzerland, yesterday evening. The Tyrolean businessman said the company decided to set up a hotel of its top Park Hyatt range at the prominent estate in the heart of the Austrian capital. Rumours that Hyatt may team up with Benko’s Signa Holding (Signa) have spiralled in Austrian business press for months.

29/07/11

Schwarzenegger museum to open at last

A museum dedicated to the life of Arnold Schwarzenegger will open this weekend.

Styrian newspapers disclosed  that the exhibition – set in the house in Thal near Graz where the former politician was born – would focus on three stages of Schwarzenegger’s life.

Visitors will learn more about the bodybuilding career of the five-time winner of global bodybuilding competition Mr Universe. Another part of the museum will focus on his career as an actor. Schwarzenegger starred in the acclaimed "Terminator" action movie series as well as in comedy films like "Twins" and "Junior." The third element of the exhibition – which reportedly is going to open at 10am this Saturday (30 July) – is dedicated to his seven-year spell as Governor of the US state of California.

Schwarzenegger – who will turn 64 on the day the museum opens – will not attend the opening himself. They explained the plan was to hold an official opening ceremony in a few weeks’ time when his schedule allows him to take part. These announcements come after managers of the museum argued for years they were only waiting with opening it to give "Arnie" a chance to attend the procedure. People who visit the exhibition on Saturday will reportedly have the chance to purchase a stamp especially created to mark the occasion. Several parts of the house have been left unchanged to create a feel of the family’s frugal life..

22/07/11

Russian region ready to ban Red Bull

The trademark drink of Austria’s most powerful brand in the world may soon be banned in a region of Russia, one of the strongest economies in the world.

Moscow newspapers report today (Weds) that the State Duma, the country’s federal parliament, has begun discussing a prohibition of sales of Red Bull and other caffeine-based drinks to minors. Conservative citizens of the Eurasian state reportedly think that energy drinks – which are mostly also rich in sugar – pose as much a threat to order as alcohol.

The debate over whether teenagers should be kept from buying Red Bull and drinks manufactured by the Salzburg-based firm’s rivals comes as lawmakers in Chechnya agreed on totally banning energy drinks.

Rukman Bartiyev, the North Caucasian region’s deputy health minister, announced yesterday: “Energy drinks are comparable to beer.” He added that the drinks posed danger to people’s health.

Chechen health authorities explained that a complete ban of Red Bull and similar products will come into effect soon. International media see the upcoming decree in context with Chechnya’s strict Muslim rules on daily life under which everything considered as “un-Islamic” is prohibited.

19/07/11

Little interest in internet

Austrians are showing the least interest in going online, among all European countries, a survey has shown.

Austrian magazine profil reports Austrians surf the internet just 14 hours a month which is half the European average. People living in the Netherlands are at the top with 35.2 monthly internet hours. Britons come second (33.9 hours), with residents of Turkey in third. They go online 31.8 hours a month, according to profil. Perhaps there is so emuch else to do outside the house in Austria!.

12/07/2011

Red Bull... maybe a challenge for Facebook?

Red Bull is eyeing up the option of launching it's own social network, it has been reported.

German weekly Die Zeit claims that CEO Dietrich Mateschitz met with bosses of internet platforms YouTube and Facebook in the United States earlier this month. The businessman wanted to discuss the possibility of the integration of a Red Bull channel on the popular websites. However, the article also has it that Mateschitz has plans to launch a social networking platform on the internet masterminded by his company.

An online platform for social interaction would not be the first endeavour of Red Bull in the media industry. The Salzburg-based company publishes Red Bulletin, its own magazine, in Europe and America via Red Bull Media House.

08/07/2011

Air Challenge at Lake Wolfgang

Today kicks off the Scalaria Air Challenge at Wolfgangsee.  The small town of St Wolfgang am Wolfgangsee is bracing itself for the influx of over 15,000 visitors this weekend. It will be watched by around 5 million people throughout Europe. It's popularity increases each year with so many people wanting to visit.. if only to see the RED BULLS flying team and their selection of sea planes. It attracts the great the good and the famous from all over the world and has become a fixture in the Celebrity calendar. Have a look for yourselves. http://airchallenge.scalaria.com/  

04/07/2011

Farmer's war weapon stash exposed by fire

A Salzburg-based farmer faces charges for hoarding more than 100 war era weapons. Police discovered 120 guns and rifles from World War One (WWI) and World War Two (WWII) after a blaze raged through his estate yesterday (Thurs). Officials in Thalgau explained today that the man had a gun licence. They pointed out that the document did not allow the possession of such a large amount of weapons. The man - whose farm was burned to the ground - faces charges for breaching federal weapon possession rules. He could also be prosecuted for illegal ownership of wartime weaponry.

25.06.11

Fake Italian police 'prey on Austrians'

Bogus policemen have stolen thousands of Euros from an Austrian couple in Italy, according to a newspaper. The Kronen Zeitung reports today that the holidaymakers were asked to pull over and get out of their car by the plain-clothes officers on the A21 motorway near Piacenza, northern Italy, earlier this week. One of the would-be policemen engaged the tourists into a conversation while checking their travel documents and driving licences while the other one sneaked away to search their vehicle for valuables. The duo made off with 5,000 Euros in cash, according to the Viennese paper. Italian officials did not comment the report.

14/06/11

Diesel car sales up in Austria

The number of diesel-powered cars is on the rise in Austria despite a sharp increase in fuel prices. One litre of diesel costs around as much as the same amount of regul