From Thursday, entry into Austria from the United States and Saudi Arabia will be possible in compliance with the 3G regulation without quarantine. The professional representation of travel agencies and the hotel industry welcomes this and hopes for further easing from July 2021.

“The announced amendment to the entry regulation expands the list of those countries from which entry to Austria is possible in compliance with the 3G rule but without quarantine to include the USA, Saudi Arabia and a few other countries. That is positive news well in advance of the start of the summer season ”, Gregor Kadanka, chairman of the professional association of travel agencies in the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKÖ), and Susanne Kraus-Winkler, chairman of the professional association for the hotel industry, welcome the liberalization of the Austrian entry regulations.

The USA in particular - Austria's most important long-distance market with 2,05 million overnight stays in the "pre-Corona" year 2019 - are of enormous importance both for the Austrian incoming market and for the city hotel industry. More than half of these overnight stays are in the federal capital Vienna alone, and the city's accommodation providers have been hugely lacking.

Travel agencies and the hotel industry are now hoping for further easing from July: “Some EU countries, such as Germany, will soon facilitate the entry rules for vaccinated third-country nationals. We hope that Austria will now follow suit quickly and will also allow tourists from third countries with the corresponding 3G certification, but without quarantine, to enter the country in July. Our incoming travel agencies and the city hotel industry need international guests so that our industries can make a quick comeback, ”conclude Kraus-Winkler and Kadanka.