It is far from being the best-known city inAustria. And wrongly so. Because Graz, the country's second largest urban centre, with a population approaching 300,000The city of Styria, in the south-east of Austria, has nothing to envy of its more internationally renowned counterparts, Innsbruck and Salzburg. The capital of Styria, in south-east Austria, has all the attractions of its rivals.
Graz boasts an attractive historic centre. Graz's old town is considered to be one of the best preserved in Austria, with its multitude of old houses.. With its arcaded courtyards - including the impressive Landhaus - from the Renaissance, its Baroque churches and its houses with delicately carved stucco facades, Graz has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999.
It is surrounded by mountains that open out towards the plains of Hungary and Slovenia. Above all, it is ideally situated between Vienna - 2? hours by train - and Ljubljana and Zagreb - both less than 2? hours away by car. Italy is not far away either.
So why is Graz still less well known than Innsbruck, Salzburg or Vienna? Dieter Hardt-Stremayr, Managing Director of Graz's tourism and marketing agency, explains: " It can take centuries to create a world-famous brand like Vienna or Salzburg. It doesn't happen overnight. Graz has already established itself as Austria's best-kept secret" he says. " The question is whether we want to enjoy the same reputation as Vienna or Salzburg.. With all that this implies for the quality of life of local residents. The answer is no. What's more, there is a visible trend towards the growing attractiveness of second- and third-tier towns. This is where Graz comes into its own." concludes the Director of Graz Tourism.
L'art of living rather than all-out development. This is certainly where the charm of Austria's second city lies. And its appeal to visitors, including the business community. For while Graz loves its past, it resolutely embraces the present, and even the future. Graz is renowned for its bold architecture - in keeping with the innovative spirit of this mini-metropolis. Graz is a university town, a city of design, a research centre and a cultural capital, making it a major economic centre in Central Europe..
A dozen companies have their headquarters in the capital of Styria and the surrounding area. The main industrial sectors are microelectronics and electronics, automotive components and metallurgy.
With over 55,000 students, Graz is also a major hub for research, which accounts for 5% of its GDP.. There are many economic players, research institutes and clusters in the mobility, human biotechnology, biotechnology, energy and environmental technology sectors, as well as in the creative economy.
The demographic evolution of Graz reflects this dynamism. The city's population grew by 18.6% between 2002 and 2020, well ahead of Vienna (+16.8%), Innsbruck (+14.8%) and Salzburg (+6.3%).. In its forecasts for demographic change in urban centres, the Austrian Conference on Spatial Planning estimates that the population of Graz should grow by 20% by 2040, a rate only surpassed by Innsbruck (+21%).
Perfect for conference tourism and incentive travel
So Graz is making the most of its dynamism. And this is benefiting tourism, particularly conference tourism. In 2022, Graz was the city with the best post-covid tourist figures.
At 1.139 million, the number of overnight stays was only 8.9% lower than in 2019. This compares with Vienna, where total overnight stays were 25% lower than in 2019, and Salzburg, which was down by more than 20%. However, the majority of overnight stays will remain Austrian. The main international tourists in 2022 came from Germany (19% of all overnight stays), Poland, Italy and the Netherlands. The number of French people still has room to grow, with almost 11,000 overnight stays by 2022..
According to Stefan Ettl, Director of Marketing and Sales at Messe Congress Graz, in 2022, the city hosted some 450 congress and conference eventsrepresenting 750 days of MICE activity. Over 150 of these were international events.
" Graz offers an ideal venue for all types of conference, with the Stadthalle able to accommodate some 5,500 people. In the centre, the Congress Graz can accommodate 2,500 people. We have a capacity of 4,500 rooms in the metropolitan area, including 1,500 rooms in the city centre." he says.
The most prestigious is the Palais des Congrès. Housed in a historic building originally dedicated to music, the Congress Palace offers both the charm of the former Austro-Hungarian monarchy, with its gilding and heavy chandeliers, and a contemporary atmosphere for its meeting rooms. All facing the town hall and the baroque city. Alternatives include the Stadthalle (municipal hall), the Graz Messe (trade fair centre) and the sports facilities around the Merkur Arena.
The city also encourages congress activity by providing financial support for the organisation of events. " A refund of between 2% and 7% in liquids is offered to organisers of an event that generates at least 300 overnight stays for the city's hotels." adds Stefan Ettl.
Rail versus air?
However, Stefan Ettl regrets that there are not more international flights to the capital of Styria. " Day trips, for example, are more complicated because, in many cases, you need to include a match in your itinerary" he stresses.
The city's small airport is mainly linked by scheduled flights to Germany. Although there are regular flights to Amsterdam, Vienna and Zurich. Is this the weak point in promoting the city on international markets? Not according to Dieter Hardt-Stremayr, director of the tourist agency. " We are very satisfied with our transport offer with the rest of Europe. We don't really intend to bring any new low-cost airlines to Graz.. Especially as our rail network is constantly being improved" he explains.
Graz is a major rail hub. The central station is linked by numerous direct trains not only to Vienna, but also to Vienna airport, western Austria (Salzburg) and Bavaria, as well as Slovenia and Croatia. " With the completion in the near future of a faster link on the Vienna-Italy route, the attractiveness of a train journey to Graz is set to increase." says Dieter Hardt-Stremayr.
Graz should benefit in particular from the creation of a new tunnel replacing the tortuous - but picturesque - route in the Semmering mountains. From 2030, the Vienna-Graz journey will take less than two hoursinstead of the current 2 hours 35 minutes. Another project will put Graz just 45 minutes by train from Klagenfurt. And beyond Klagenfurt to Ljubljana in Slovenia and Trieste in Italy. The new link will also improve direct rail connections between Vienna International Airport and the capital of Styria. In future, it will take just two hours by train from the airport to reach one of Austria's prettiest cities and enjoy the wellbeing that is so characteristic of Graz. A rather tempting proposition...
GRAZ GUIDE
How to get there
Graz has at least five daily trains to and from Vienna Schwechat airport. Journey time is just over two and a half hours. Flights are available via Germany (Frankfurt and Munich), Zurich and Amsterdam.
Stay
Graz offers around fifty hotels, 17 of which are rated 4-star or 4-star superior. International 4-star chain hotels include Austria Trend, Best Western Plus Plaza, Mercure and NH. In 2024, a Radisson will be added near the Central Station.
Known for its avant-garde design, the Weitzer hotel chain is named after a Graz family. Three hotels make up their portfolio in the capital of Styria: the Weitzer, the Grand Hotel Wiesler and the Daniel Graz. The first two follow in the tradition of establishments built during the Austro-Hungarian Empire, combining contemporary design created by owner Florian Weitzer with decor reminiscent of the Empire. The third is in a building dating from the 1950s. A very contemporary design spirit for this establishment near the central station, with a view of the whole city from its rooftop!
See
You should spend at least half a day in Graz's old town, exploring its narrow streets lined with Baroque and Rococo palaces. A must-do is a climb up the Schlossberg (you can do it by funicular, lift or on foot) with a breathtaking view of the city from the Clock Tower.
In Herrengasse, visit the Landhaus, the regional seat of government with its magnificent Renaissance arcades, and the arsenal, the largest collection of Renaissance armour in the world.
Another must-see is the beautiful Eggenberg castle with its trompe l'oeil painted rooms, which also houses the Museum of Fine Arts. For a quick lunch or coffee, Austria's oldest department stores', Kastner & Oehler, has a terrace. Again, with a bird's eye view of the city!
Organising a MICE event
The Graz Convention Bureau has a whole team to help you prepare a MICE event. Information at https://www.graztourismus.at/kongress/en
General information on Graz under https://www.graztourismus.at/en
French consular agency in Graz:
Tel : +43- 664 188010 - E-mail : franceconsul@mueller-wein.at
