Tourism In Gosau
Nestled between the Dachstein mountains and the Gosau lakes, in the Salzkammergut area of Upper Austria, is the charming town of Gosau. Nature lovers, hikers, skiers and cultural vultures go there to take in the breathtaking beauty, rich history, and regional cultures. Gosau is a component of the Hallstatt-Dachstein/Salzkammergut UNESCO World Heritage Site, which highlights the area’s natural and cultural treasures.
Gosau Tourism Statistics
Official figures from the Upper Austria Tourism Board show that Gosau saw 113,467 overnight stays in 2023, up 5.6% from 2022. At 41.7% occupancy, the average stay lasted 3.8 nights. Germany (40.2%), Austria (25.9%), the Netherlands (8.9%), and the Czech Republic (4.9%) were the principal sourcing markets. Winter (December to March) was the busiest season; summer (July to September) was second.
Visitor Demographics
The typical visitor profile of Gosau tourism is:
- Age: The majority of visitors are between 25 and 54 years old, with a slight preference for the 35-44 age group. There is also a significant share of visitors over 65 years old, especially in the summer season.
- Gender: The gender distribution is fairly balanced, with a slight majority of female visitors (51.2%).
- Income: The average income of visitors is above the national average, with a median of 3,500 euros per month.
- Education: The majority of visitors have a high level of education, with 62.7% having a university degree or higher.
- Motivation: The main motivation for visiting Gosau is to enjoy the natural beauty, the outdoor activities, and the cultural heritage of the area. Other motivations include relaxation, wellness, family, and romance.
Seasonal Tourism Trends
Two seasons define Gosau tourism: winter and summer. Wintertime draws more tourists, particularly snowboarders and skiers who may enjoy the vast and diverse terrain of the Dachstein West ski region. Along with these winter sports, there’s ice skating, sledding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. Typically lasting from December to March, the winter months are January and February.
Summertime draws tourists interested in discovering the region’s natural and cultural treasures, hiking, bicycling, swimming, and fishing. Festivals and events abound throughout the summer, including the Gosau Heritage Days, the Gosau Lake Festival, and the Gosau Mountain Festival. August is the busiest month during the typically July to September summer season.
Accommodation Occupancy Rates
Gosau’s lodging industry mostly comprises of hotels, guesthouses, flats, and vacation rentals. The Upper Austria Tourism Board estimates that in 2023 Gosau will have 2,467 lodging facilities with 8,057 beds. At 41.7% occupancy, the rate was little higher than the 40.9% area average. Summer occupancy rate was 36.5%, while winter occupancy rate was 46.9%.
Economic Impact of Tourism
One of Gosau’s primary economic sectors, tourism brings in money, jobs, and investments for the locals. A 2020 report from the Austrian Institute of Economic Research states that tourism contributes 18.7 million euros to Gosau’s gross value added, or 12.4% of the municipality’s overall gross value added. Along with 367 jobs, tourism provided 18.6% of Gosau’s total employment. Infrastructure, services, and facilities including the Gosaukamm cable car, the Gosau museum, and the Gosau lake restaurant were all developed in part due to tourism.
Milestones and Achievements
Gosau tourism has over the years reached a number of significant milestones and accomplishments that have helped the destination grow and become more well-known. The following stand out among the most:
- 1861: The first hotel in Gosau, the Hotel Gosausee, is built by the entrepreneur Johann Zauner.
- 1896: The first guidebook of Gosau, the Gosau-Führer, is published by the alpinist Friedrich Simony.
- 1953: The first ski lift in Gosau, the Hornspitzlift, is installed by the ski pioneer Franz Gamsjäger.
- 1997: Gosau becomes part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hallstatt-Dachstein/Salzkammergut, which honors the cultural and natural heritage of the region.
- 2006: Gosau joins the Alpine Pearls, a network of sustainable tourism destinations in the Alps, which promotes soft mobility, nature conservation.
Discover Gosau
Nestled at the foot of the Dachstein in the Dachstein Salzkammergut holiday region, Gosau has a long history of tourism, having been popularized by the imperial court in the middle of the 1800s. Because Gosau was so close to Bad Ischl, a popular imperial retreat, its appeal increased, especially in the summer. Important turning points in the history of the area were the building of the Adamekhütte in 1907 and the start of ski tourism in the 1920s.
Overnight stays were greatly increased by the construction of ski lifts in the early 1970s and the opening of the East in the 1990s. Gosau draws a mix of summer and winter visitors; more than 120 travel agencies account for over 400,000 overnight stays each year. With over 2,500 beds, the area is a popular holiday spot in the Dachstein Salzkammergut.
The north-facing Dachstein’s ideal snow conditions are what fuel winter tourism, which mostly concentrates on alpine skiing in the Dachstein-West ski area. With 58 lifts, 60 kilometers of cross-country trails, and 142 kilometers of pistes, Dachstein-West is a sizable ski region. Snowshoe trekking, winter hiking, tobogganing, and touring are just a few of the sports that the winter terrain supports.
Gosau’s mountainous landscapes, which draw outdoor enthusiasts with regulated alpine refuges, hiking paths, climbing routes, and via ferratas, define summer tourism there. There are three mountain refuges in the area, and 10 summertime maintained alpine meadows. Hikers of all abilities may enjoy the roughly 300 kilometer long Gosau hiking route network. Over 1,000 kilometers of marked trails are available to mountain bikers across the Dachstein Salzkammergut region.
Gosau attracts tourists not just for its sports but also for its traditional crafts, culture, and traditions. Notably, the area’s dedication to maintaining its legacy is demonstrated by the rehabilitation of natural grinding stone quarries for tourist. Furthermore offering an instructive experience on the geological past of the region is the primeval forest family adventure park next to the rear reservoir.
Key Attractions and Features
Key Gosau tourist attractions and characteristics include:
- The Gosau lakes: The Gosau lakes are three glacial lakes that provide amazing vistas of the hills in the vicinity as well as the Dachstein glacier. With a restaurant, a boat rental, and a circular hiking track, the Gosausee is the biggest and most well-known. The two remaining are the most remote and perfect for swimming and fishing, Vorderer Gosausee and Hinterer Gosausee.
- The Dachstein West ski area: With more than 160 km of slopes, 70 lifts and a range of winter sports including snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, sledding and ice skating, Dachstein West is one of the biggest and friendliest ski resorts in Austria. The ski area links Russbach and Annaberg, two nearby settlements, with Gosau.
- The Gosaukamm cable car: Modern gondola Gosaukamm transports passengers from the valley to the Zwieselalm plateau, where they can take in expansive vistas of the Dachstein mountain and the Gosau river. Year-round operation of the cable car serves as a paragliding and hiking trailhead for several routes.
- The Löckermoos bog: This unusual natural reserve has a waterfall, a mountain lake, and a peat bog. Rare flora and creatures like frogs, sundews, orchids, and dragonflies call the bog home. One may take a tractor shuttle or a trekking route from the Gosaukamm cable car station to the bog.
- The Gosau museum: Including displays on the geology, archeology, folklore, handicrafts, and tourism of the region, this local museum presents the history and culture of Gosau. All year long, the museum also plans events, seminars, and guided tours.
Landmarks and Historical Sites
- The Gosau lakes: The Dachstein glacier and the hills in the vicinity are breathtakingly visible from the three glacial lakes known as the Gosau lakes. With a restaurant, a boat rental, and a circular hiking track, the Gosausee is the biggest and most well-known. The two remaining are the most remote and perfect for swimming and fishing, Vorderer Gosausee and Hinterer Gosausee.
- The Gosaukamm cable car: Modern gondola Gosaukamm transports passengers from the valley to the Zwieselalm plateau, where they can take in expansive vistas of the Dachstein mountain and the Gosau river. Year-round operation of the cable car serves as a paragliding and hiking trailhead for several routes.
- The Löckermoos bog: This unusual natural reserve has a waterfall, a mountain lake, and a peat bog. Rare flora and creatures like frogs, sundews, orchids, and dragonflies call the bog home. One may take a tractor shuttle or a trekking route from the Gosaukamm cable car station to the bog.
- The Gosau church: Constructed in 1796 following the Gosauers’ acquisition of religious freedom, this is a Protestant church. The church boasts a baroque altar and a wooden tower in its straightforward yet exquisite style. Year-round, the cathedral also presents activities and music.
Natural Wonders
- The Dachstein glacier: At 2,700 metres above sea level, the Dachstein glacier is the tallest and most spectacular in the area. From the neighboring community of Obertraun, which offers a range of attractions including the Ice Palace, the Skywalk, the Suspension Bridge, and the Stairway to Nothingness, visitors may reach the glacier by cable car. Additionally well-liked for skiing, snowboarding, and ice climbing are the glacier.
- The Gosaukamm: Rising to heights of 2,400 meters, this mountain range forms the southern edge of the Gosau valley. A haven for hikers and climbers, the Gosaukamm Circuit, the Donnerkogel, and the Bischofsmütze are just a few of the many routes and difficulty levels available. Among the many plants and animals that call the Gosaukamm home are eagles, chamois, edelweiss, and alpine flowers.
- The Ewige Wand: The 1,200-meter-tall and four-kilometer-long Ewige Wand is a rock wall rising above the Gosau valley. Climbers may test their endurance and talents on the many routes and pitches, including the Königshütte, the Schusterweg, and the Schneewand, on the Ewige Wand. Hikers and cyclists may also take in the breathtaking views of the valley and lakes from the summit of the Ewige Wand.
Accommodations in Gosau
Gosau offers a large selection of lodging options to suit many tastes and budgets. Among the lodging options in Gosau are as follows:
- Hotels: Wi-Fi, TV, and private bathrooms are among the features of the many pleasant and cosy rooms available in Gosau. In addition, a few of the hotels provide bars, restaurants, spas, and pools for visitors to unwind and relish. Among the hotels in Gosau are the Hotel Sommerhof, the Hotel Gosauerhof, and the Hotel Hornspitz.
- Guesthouses: There are a lot of them in Gosau that provide a warm and individualised service together with rustic and quaintly designed rooms. Along with kitchens, balconies, and gardens, some of the guesthouses allow visitors to cook, unwind, and enjoy. Gosau’s guesthouses include the Gästehaus Wallner, the Gästehaus Pilz, and the Gästehaus Bergblick.
- Apartments: There are several modern, roomy apartments in Gosau that come furnished with TVs, Wi-Fi, and fully working kitchens. To further relax and enjoy, several of the units include saunas, fireplaces, and patios. Among the flats in Gosau are the Ferienwohnungen Egger, Renner, and Laserer.
- Holiday homes: A small number of vacation homes in Gosau provide secluded and luxurious living areas together with amenities like TV, Wi-Fi, and well furnished kitchens. For added relaxation and enjoyment, several of the vacation rentals include gardens, grills, and hot tubs. Ferienhäuser Gamsjäger, Holzmeister, und Kogler are a few of the holiday houses in Gosau.
