Vienna Sees Second Best Congress Figures in 2009

VIENNA, Austria, April 9, 2010 - With 9% more bed nights and 12% more value-added than in 2008, last year
Vienna recorded its second best congress results, only slightly below the
record set in 2007. National and international congresses and corporate
events accounted for 14% of the total of 9.8 million bed nights.

In 2009, the Viennese congress industry was responsible for 1,372,884 bed
nights, 9% more than in 2008. Director of Tourism Norbert Kettner stressed:
"Overall, Vienna has come out of the crisis year 2009 looking good, and that
is due in no small measure to its position as a congress destination. Last
year, the congress industry accounted for 14% of the total volume of
overnights. The lion's share was generated by international congresses, where
Vienna has been able to defend its standing as one of the worlds's most
sought-after congress cities for decades."

Value-added on the rise

The value-added accounted for by congresses and corporate events
impacting not just Vienna but all of Austria rose by 12% compared to 2008 to
EUR 736.1 million. Furthermore, the Viennese congress industry secured some
15,000 permanent jobs last year. Sales generated by the Viennese congress
industry in 2009 should also be highlighted: delegates spent EUR 420 per
person per night on average in Vienna. The comparable figure for all visitors
to Vienna is around EUR 276, while the figure for all Austria is EUR 181.

2010 congress highlights

The International AIDS Conference will be the biggest highlight of this
year's congress calendar. Not only are around 25,000 attendees expected from
all over the world, but also more than 2,500 international journalists. Other
renowned events are the European Congress on Radiology (19,000 delegates),
the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
(8,000), and the Congress of the European Association for the Study of the
Liver (9,500).

    Contact:
    Angelika Grzebyta
    Tel: +43-1-21114-363
    Email: angelika.grzebyta@wien.info
    www.vienna.info

Contact: Angelika Grzebyta, Tel: +43-1-21114-363, Email: angelika.grzebyta at wien.info