May 21, 2019. Expats, i.e. employees of international companies, research institutions and organizations in Vienna, not only contribute to the city’s diversity, but also act as ambassadors for the destination and Vienna as a place to do business. They play a significant role in shaping the image of the city abroad. Their perceptions of Vienna provided an important source of inputs when drawing up the Destination Strategy 2025.

At the workshop, hosted in cooperation with the Vienna Business Agency’s Expat Center, they shared their views on the destination in general and on the city as a business location. The session was opened by Vienna Tourist Board Managing Director Norbert Kettner and Sabine Ohler, head of the Vienna Business Agency’s International Business department, with a look at the two organizations’ activities and an analysis of the importance of international companies and organizations and their employees. Afterwards, Johannes Lutter from Urban Innovation Vienna presented the status quo of the Visitor Economy Strategy 2025, before expats and experts from the Vienna Tourist Board and the Vienna Business Agency discussed the strengths and weaknesses of Vienna as a destination and a business location.

The expats largely identified the same areas as the strengths that make Vienna such an attractive city for its residents. These included its safety record, quick and reliable public transportation and abundance of green and outdoor spaces. The discussion clearly revealed that the notion of Vienna as a cosmopolitan and open-minded city was a widely shared aspiration, but one which was not necessarily anchored in administrative practice. Openness and needs-based support for temporary residents must be improved across all areas and services. Language and bureaucratic barriers need to be brought down still further to ensure that international talents receive the best possible welcome.

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