The Wachau region was inscribed in the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites as a continuing cultural landscape in 2000. Little is known about the value of World Heritage, in particular the “OUV - outstanding universal value”. A major awareness-raising campaign is intended to change this and specifically address the population. The knowledge and importance of the Wachau Cultural Landscape should be imbued in the population as a way of getting everyone to handle this World Heritage site with greater sensitivity.

The quality campaign “Best of Wachau” comprises 53 businesses that act as a regional figurehead for marketing the destination. Within the scope of this project, the high standard of the businesses should be maintained or improved, especially in the area of online marketing. Further measures are intended to provide support with the search for employees and to boost customer loyalty.

The Nature Park owes its great diversity of plants and animals to its mosaic-like cultural landscape and the extensively used meadows. Global changes are forcing many agricultural businesses to specialise or shut up shop. A consequence of this are meadows that are no longer managed and increasingly turning into woodland. To counteract this trend and preserve diversity in the Jauerling-Wachau Nature Park, a nature park brand is under development. This label stands for management compatible with nature and gives the businesses’ products added ecological value.

Following on from the success of the last two exhibitions, the event will be organised again in spring 2019. This time, the event will be held in Haunoldstein. Given the regional interrelationships, companies from the municipalities of Loosdorf, Markersdorf-Haindorf and St. Margarethen/Sierning will be invited to present themselves. A varied supporting programme will provide an additional attraction and round off the event.

In a time when churches are being used less and less as places of worship, adapting them into places of culture and retreat is becoming increasingly important. To mark the 300th anniversary of the painter "Kremser Schmidt", his paintings in Wösendorf parish church were lavishly restored. In order to be able to protect the paintings better for future generations and to make their contents easier to see, a new LED lighting system should be installed.

The Pielach-Mühlau conservation area in the municipal district of Hafnerbach is one of nature’s true jewels. The wild river landscape is an area of retreat for many species of animal and vital to their survival. Excursions, campaigns involving schoolchildren and targeted public relations work are intended to create the necessary sensitisation and put the protection of these habitats on a secure and lasting footing.

The historic town of Dürnstein, with its many iconic buildings of historic importance, such as the blue tower of the abbey church or the castle ruins, has been a hotspot of activity in the Wachau tourism region from day one. The limited space available, the lack of coordination between the visiting times of different tour operators and the many options available for coming to visit the town all result in very high visitor numbers. This is creating an ever stronger sense of exploitation amongst the town’s few permanent residents (according to a recent count, only 93 people live within the town walls) and of being a stranger in one’s own home.

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.

Over the coming three years, the Danube Lower Austrian Visitors` Ring will be organising a comprehensive package of qualification measures with training courses, workshops and excursions in a LEADER cooperation project for establishments in the Wachau and Nibelungengau. The landlords should be provided with business training and prepared for future challenges. The changing needs of guests as a result of demographic changes should be identified and the offer adjusted to Holiday on the Farm establishments, vineyards and private room landlords.

In recent years, a number of initiatives have established themselves in the region in late autumn and winter which have had a very positive impact on the development of tourism and thus on extending the season. Apart from the long-distance hiking trail “World Heritage Trail Wachau”, which can be easily hiked even in the colder months thanks to the mild climate, numerous cultural initiatives, such as “ELIT” (European literature days), “Wachau in Echtzeit” (Wachau in Real Time - curated by Ursula Strauss) as well as many Advent markets and culinary events have become established. The implementation of the mobility concept (bus connections) means that all municipalities in the region can now also be easily reached without a car.