Economy Of Bad Gastein
Bad Gastein is an Austrian Alps spa town and popular tourist destination. The most well-known aspects of it are natural hot springs, gorgeous views, and winter sports. The economy of Bad Gastein depends on two sectors: thermal spas and tourism.
Thermal Spa
The oldest and most significant economic base of Bad Gastein is its thermal spa. Since the Middle Ages, people have sought for healing and relaxation at the 17 hot springs on the “Badberg” (at the base of the Graukogel) to the left of the waterfall. There is around a five million liter daily flow with water temperatures between 40°C to 46.4°C. The water has radon, which is thought to be helpful for a number of ailments including skin issues, asthma, and arthritis. Worldwide tourists are drawn to the thermal spa, although German, Austrian, and Russian visitors are particularly numerous.
Tourism
Since the 19th century, when Bad Gastein emerged as a chic vacation spot for European nobility and celebrities, the town’s tourist industry has grown dramatically. Rich architectural legacy abounds in the town, which is home to several old structures, hotels, and villas. Along with museums, festivals, concerts, and casinos, the town provides a range of cultural and leisure pursuits.
Still, Bad Gastein’s natural beauty and outdoor recreation possibilities are its primary draws. Encircling the town lies the biggest protected area in the Alps, Hohe Tauern National Park. Among the many sceneries in the park are meadows, woods, waterfalls, and glaciers. Numerous uncommon flora and animals, such the edelweiss, golden eagle, and Alpine ibex, call the park their home.
Winter sports enthusiasts flock to Bad Gastein in particular for skiing and snowboarding. Four ski facilities with fifty lifts and 200 kilometers of slopes are accessible from the town. Between December and April is the ski season, during which the town organizes a number of major events, including the FIS Snowboard World Cup and the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup. An ice skating rink, a cross-country skiing track, and a ski jumping hill are further features of the town.
Bad Gastein provides a wealth of summertime hiking and climbing sports. The town has more than 600 kilometers of hiking paths with breathtaking scenery and varying degrees of difficulty. The town has a number of climbing routes as well, some of which are easy for novices and others of which are difficult for specialists. Swimming pools, tennis courts, and a golf course are all features of the town.
Economic Trends
The weather, the season, the demand, and the competition all affect the tourist business, and Bad Gastein’s economic developments mirror these changes. Depending on the shifting tastes and expectations of the tourists, the town has gone through phases of boom and fall.
Overnight stays in the town increased steadily from 2011 to 2019, peaking at 1,120,000 in 2019. This resulted from the town’s initiatives to update its facilities, broaden the range of services it offers, and market itself as a year-round tourist attraction. The town also profitted from the increasing demand for the thermal spa brought about by the expanding popularity of wellness tourism.
But in 2020 the town’s overnight stays fell precipitously, to 713,000. This resulted from lockdowns, health issues, and travel limitations brought on by the Covid-19 epidemic. The town suffered a great deal of income and employment loss when it had to close its hotels, restaurants, and attractions for a few months. The town had to deal with issues from the shifting weather, which shortened the ski season and lowered the amount of snow.
The community is presently working to adjust to the new circumstances and to recover from the economic catastrophe. To stop the virus from spreading and reassure the tourists, the municipality is putting safety precautions in place including social separation, cleanliness, and testing. In order to lessen its environmental effect and cut expenses, the municipality is also making investments in renewable energy sources including hydro and solar. Additionally, the town wants to draw in new customers who are searching for flexible and reasonably priced vacation choices, like families, youth, and digital nomads.
