A tourism development strategy for the year 2030 was developed for the city of Krems in 2015 and 2016. It defines five core competencies, one of which is economic and educational tourism. Within the scope of this project, targeted measures and sales-orientated concepts should be developed to achieve a clear positioning in the MICE segment (Meetings/Incentives/Conventions/Exhibitions).

In terms of tourism, the Dunkelsteinerwald is overshadowed by the Wachau. However, in recent years, it has been possible to position the Dunkelsteinerwald as a hiking destination with the hiking trail network of the Dunkelsteinerwald-Runde.

The positive growth in hiking tourism should be combined with a bigger selection of routes to offer hikers greater choice. The planned project is intended to combine the municipalities of the extended Kremstal area into a new and uniform hiking network and connect them to the well-frequented “Wachau World Heritage Trail”.

The World Heritage Centre at the boat station in Stein, in the municipality of Krems, was opened in September 2011. Ever since then, it has proven to be extraordinarily stable in terms of its design and substance. However, seven years later, some of the information is no longer up to date and a few things have happened in the region in recent years that are not represented on the information panels in the World Heritage Centre.

The idea to boost awareness of the region amongst young residents came about in the Dunkelsteinerwald micro-region. The aim is to strengthen both identification with the Dunkelsteinerwald and longer-term ties to the region. For this reason, a concept for integrating regional topics into the curriculum at local primary schools will be developed.

In the past five years, Best of Wachau has established itself as a brand that stands for high standards in gastronomy and accommodation, thanks to ongoing qualification measures. The Goldclub was created as a tourist marketing format that aims at encouraging visitors to stay in the Wachau for longer. The next step is to perform an evaluation and then to optimise and establish this tourist offering on the international market on the basis of the results.

A guidance system is only as good as the information it contains. For this reason, an update of the Wachau guidance system is essential. During the overhaul, information on establishments and business data as well as on sights and public transport will be brought up to date.

The Haunoldstein beautification and village renewal association is dedicated to the history of the Bründlkapelle. To mark the 100th anniversary of the chapel and the local spring, the story of its creation and importance is to be elaborated together with local historian Dr Gerhard Flossmann.

Approximately 600 asylum seekers and recognised asylum seekers currently live in the Wachau-Dunkelsteinerwald region. Building on the work done in the asylum and integration coordination project, targeted measures and offers should be put in place to improve the integration of people who fled to us in recent years. A central role will be accorded to the people already well advanced in the integration process.

UNESCO’s Wachau World Heritage Site clocks up about 490,000 overnight stays every year in the summer season. However, not only are the many offers in summer gaining in importance but so is the growth in activity in the off-peak tourist seasons. This is having an initial positive effect towards extending the season in the Wachau, which already runs beyond the end of October. Some establishments continue to be open at this time or have developed entirely into year-round enterprises. The pilot run of the “Wachau Advent” is intended to create a stimulus for staying longer in the region in addition to the existing attractions.