The snowfall at the beginning of December 2023 - even in the lowlands - has awakened the desire for the mountains among domestic and foreign guests at the right time this year. Overall, this has led to very satisfactory demand and bookings at the start of the winter season: Austrian hotels from east to west were well booked throughout, especially at Christmas and New Year's Eve. "I think it is possible that we will be able to return to the year before Corona in the 2023/2024 winter season," commented Johann Spreitzhofer, chairman of the Hotel Industry Association in the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKÖ), on the past two weeks. Outlook for January and "energy holidays" When looking ahead to January and the semester break, however, it is important to differentiate: January is always "a question of snow"; the weekends are good, the rest of January is still very reservedly booked. For this time, companies are increasingly relying on cooperation with large travel agencies and supermarket chains or advertising special offers. "We hope that bookings will pick up in the short term, and we are particularly counting on our regular guests. The semester break weeks in February, on the other hand, are well booked and thus offer a solid starting point for a good winter season. However, there is still capacity everywhere and in every price range," said the industry spokesperson. According to Spreitzhofer, three developments have become clearly evident in recent years: average consumer behavior on vacation has become more cautious. Spontaneous spending is increasingly being reconsidered, additional services such as massages are used less frequently, and there is also a noticeable decline in tips. This is particularly true for guests from abroad, such as our German neighbors, who have a