Hospitality Ecosystem Austria

Hospitality Ecosystem

1. Startups

Hospitality & Accommodation Tech

• hotelkit (Salzburg) – SaaS platform for hotel operations, including team collaboration, housekeeping, and facility management.
• chatlyn (Vienna) – AI-powered communication hub for hotels that centralizes guest communications (email, WhatsApp, SMS, webchat), automates responses, supports multiple languages, and integrates with PMS systems.
• Crqlar (Tyrol) – Providing business intelligence solutions for hotels.

Restaurant Tech

• FoodNotify (Vienna) – SaaS platform for restaurants, hotels, and catering businesses, managing inventory, orders, recipes, supplier integration, analytics, and waste reduction.

Activity & Experience Booking

• TourRadar (Vienna) – Online marketplace for multi-day tours and adventure experiences, letting travelers compare and book a variety of options.
• Seasy – Booking platform for marina berths, helping boaters find available spaces.
• like2camp – Platform for spontaneous campers to book pitches, catering to nature-based and camping experiences.

Mobility & Transfer Services

• goUrban – Modular systems for shared and fleet mobility, including cars, mopeds, and scooters in multiple cities.

Global hospitality startups.

2. Companies

Hotel Chains & Hospitality Groups

• Austria Trend Hotels. Operated by Verkehrsbüro Hotellerie GmbH, Austria Trend Hotels is one of Austria's largest hotel groups, with approximately 7,000 beds across 16 locations in Austria and Slovenia.
• Falkensteiner Hotels & Residences. Austrian hotel group known for its upscale and wellness-focused properties.
• JUFA Hotels. Family-oriented hotel chain with a strong presence in Austria.
• Motel One. Budget-friendly hotel chain with a significant presence in Austria.
• ARCOTEL Hotels. Austrian hotel group with properties in Austria and Germany.
• Verkehrsbuero Hospitality – One of Austria’s leading tourism and hospitality groups, active in travel and hotel management.
• DO & CO Restaurants & Catering AG – A major player in airline catering, events, restaurants, and hotels.

Global hospitality companies and brands.

3. Investors

Travel & Hospitality–Focused VC Funds

• Speedinvest – Focuses on seed to growth-stage investments. Active in TravelTech, including startups like Tripmakery, which works on group travel bookings.
• Falkensteiner Ventures – Invests in pre-seed and seed-stage startups in hospitality, alternative accommodations, and leisure in Austria and the DACH region.

Private Equity & Infrastructure Investors

• JP Hospitality Investors Club (Vienna / JP Immobilien) – Private equity and real estate group that acquires and refurbishes hotels, mainly mid-upscale and lifestyle segments across Europe.
• Soravia Group – Real estate developer and investor, active in hotels and boutique hotel projects, such as the Loisium hotel chain.
• Privado Infrastructure ELTIF – Infrastructure fund investing in large-scale infrastructure projects; some investments can be tangentially related to hospitality.
• Balfin Austria – Real estate development and investment group with investments in tourist and accommodation properties in Austria.
• VIY Management – Greater Europe Hospitality Fund – Hospitality real estate fund investing in hotel projects, including in Vienna.

Global hospitality and travel investors.

4. Accelerators

• Next Floor / Technology for Tourism Accelerator (TACC). Salzburg, Austria. Accelerates startups in travel and tourism tech, including digitization, new tourism concepts, medical tourism, mobility, and sustainability. Program duration is around 12 weeks.
• Plug and Play Tech Center Vienna. An accelerator for innovation in travel and hospitality, blending tradition with cutting-edge technology to enhance visitor experiences. 
• Falkensteiner Ventures. Austria (also active in Germany and Switzerland). Supports startups in hospitality, travel, and leisure sectors, from concept to seed stage. Offers mentoring, network access, investment, and infrastructure. 
• tech2b – #TourismusInkubator (Tourism Incubator). Upper Austria. Incubator for tourism, hotel, and leisure industry ideas. Helps develop business models, connect with mentors, and accelerate go-to-market strategies.  Runs twice per year; program duration is about 12 months.
• weXelerate / Venturecake. Vienna, Austria. Broad accelerator supporting startups in multiple domains including travel, mobility, and hospitality. Offers mentorship, corporate partner access, pilot projects, and market entry support.

• Domits Hospitality Accelerator.

Global hospitality accelerators.

5. People 

• Astrid Steharnig‑Staudinger – CEO of the Austrian National Tourist Office. She leads national destination marketing efforts and has been in this role since 2023.
• Walter Veit – President of the Austrian Hotel Association (ÖHV), representing around 1,700 top hotels in Austria.
• Dr. Markus Gratzer – General Secretary of the Austrian Hotel Association (ÖHV), working closely with the president to run the organization.
• Julian Jäger, Mag. – Managing Director of Vienna Airport, a key figure in Austria’s transport and tourism infrastructure.
• Attila Doğudan, Dr. Klaus Petermann & Gottfried Neumeister – Executives of DO & CO, a major catering, events, hotel, and restaurant operator in Austria.
• Oliver W. Braun – Managing/Executive Director of Gerstner Imperial Hospitality Group, a traditional Vienna-based hospitality and catering company.
• Sepp Schellhorn – Entrepreneur and former President of the Austrian Hotel Association, influential in both the hospitality sector and politics.
• Martin Winkler, MBA – Chairman/CEO of Verkehrsbuero, a leading tourism and hospitality group in Austria.
• Brigitte T. Gruber – Managing Partner at Horwath HTL Austria, a global consultancy specializing in hotels, tourism, and leisure real estate.

Global hospitality people.

6. Events

• HOTCO. Vienna. A conference offering insights into profitability and sustainable growth in the hospitality sector.
• Alles für den Gast. Salzburg. Austria's largest hospitality trade fair, featuring over 700 exhibitors and attracting more than 35,000 visitors annually.
• 196+ Forum. Vienna. A leading hospitality conference focusing on investment and innovation, connecting experts from various sectors.

Global hospitality events.

7. Schools

• FHWien der WKW. Vienna, Austria. Offers a Bachelor's program in Tourism & Hospitality Management with a focus on practical experience, including business field projects and opportunities for a semester abroad.
•  IMC Krems, Austria. Provides an English-language Bachelor’s degree in Tourism and Leisure Management, emphasizing business administration expertise tailored to the tourism industry.
• Modul University Vienna, Austria. Offers a Bachelor of Business Administration in Tourism and Hospitality Management, with specializations in Tourism and Event Management, and Hotel Management.
• Tourismusschulen Salzburg (ITH Klessheim). Salzburg, Austria. Renowned for its College of Hospitality Management, combining in-depth management training with hands-on practice in culinary arts and restaurant management. 
• ITM – International College of Tourism and Management. Vienna, Austria
  Established as the first privately run Tourism College in Austria, offering a Diploma Programme in Hotel & Tourism Management with an Austrian State Diploma. 
• Fachhochschule Salzburg. Salzburg, Austria. Offers a Bachelor's degree in Innovation & Management in Tourism, focusing on interdisciplinary education for the competitive tourism sector.
• Management Center Innsbruck (MCI). Innsbruck, Austria. Provides a Bachelor's program in Entrepreneurship, Tourism & Leisure Business, with majors in Tourism, Leisure & Event Management, and Tourism, Sports & Leisure Business.
• Carinthia University of Applied Sciences (CUAS). Klagenfurt, Austria. Offers a Bachelor's program in Hotel Management, preparing students for the specific requirements of the hotel and catering industry.

Global hospitality schools.

8. Hubs

• Vienna stands out as a central player in Austria's travel and hospitality tech landscape. The city hosts Plug and Play Vienna, a global innovation platform connecting startups with corporations to foster advancements in the travel and hospitality sectors.
• Carinthia is rapidly becoming a focal point for tech-driven tourism innovation. The Crowd in Motion European Digital Innovation Hub, based in Salzburg, supports the green and digital transformation of the tourism, sports, and leisure industries through AI and IoT technologies.
• In Tirol, PIZ Montafon serves as a unique innovation hub, guiding hotels, tour operators, and outdoor enthusiasts toward sustainable and connected tourism practices. 
• Innsbruck is home to the Sustainable Entrepreneurship & Impact Innovation Hub at MCI | The Entrepreneurial School®, which fosters innovation in sustainable tourism and hospitality by integrating entrepreneurial education with regional ecosystems.

Global hospitality hubs.

9. Government

• Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Regions and Tourism (BMLRT). This ministry oversees Austria's tourism policy, including regional development and sustainability initiatives. It plays a central role in shaping the country's tourism strategies and regulations. The current minister is Norbert Totschnig.
• Austrian National Tourist Office (ANTO). Founded in 1955, ANTO is Austria’s national tourism marketing organization. It is primarily funded by the BMLRT (75%) and the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (25%). ANTO's mission is to promote Austria as a holiday destination and enhance its competitiveness in international tourism.
• Regional tourism laws, authorities and service boards.

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