Metropolitan cities such as Vienna, Budapest and Bratislava with magnificent palaces and vibrant cultural life. Unique landscapes, the highest levels of comfort on board and sustainable travel management – river cruises on the Danube are enjoying growing popularity.
The increasing demand for cruise vessels naturally requires appropriate port infrastructure. With the Donauraum Wien Shipping Center around Reichsbrücke, exactly this is provided: a passenger port in the heart of the city, equipped with all modern infrastructure services and the innovative spirit to continue offering river cruise guests an unforgettable travel experience in the years to come. This is what Wiener Donauraum Länden- und Ufer Betriebs- und Entwicklungs GmbH stands for.
The growing enthusiasm for Danube river cruising is also reflected in the company’s figures for 2024. With more than 380,000 passengers, around 8% more guests were welcomed in Vienna compared to 2023.
Thanks to the ASTA River Cruise Expo taking place in Vienna for the first time, the event venues Donauraum Wien and VIECON – Vienna Congress & Convention Center (formerly Messe Wien) are delighted to host a special highlight. The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) is holding its most important river cruise event from 12 to 16 March in Vienna. Visitors will experience a diverse conference programme including an exhibition area at the VIECON Center, while at the same time nearly a dozen cruise vessels at the Reichsbrücke Shipping Center will offer direct insights into life on board. The event is the fourth annual ASTA River Cruise Expo and provides travel advisors with opportunities for international networking and ship inspections.
“Danube river cruising has developed into an increasingly popular travel trend, and Vienna plays a central role in this. Our subsidiary Donauraum Wien offers modern infrastructure in the heart of the city that meets the growing demands of the industry. We look to the 2025 season with confidence and are pleased to continue positioning Vienna as a top destination for river travellers,” says Kurt Gollowitzer, Managing Director of Wien Holding.
“Vienna is considered one of the most popular conference cities for international congresses and corporate events. Around one in ten tourist overnight stays is linked to congress tourism. The conferences already confirmed at Messe Wien alone will generate more than 350,000 overnight stays this year. And just as congress tourism is playing an increasingly important role for Vienna, we are creating the right infrastructure for this economic sector with the VIECON Center,” says Oliver Stribl, Managing Director of Wien Holding.
The decision in favour of Vienna as the host location was made when the organiser itself stopped in the Austrian capital during a river cruise: “The Danube is an icon for good reason – history, culture and modern river cruising intersect here, making it so important for the future of this growing market,” says ASTA President and CEO Zane Kerby. Travel advisors can build their product knowledge directly on site, turning them into true experts. At the same time, this helps them to market ships and destinations such as Vienna even more effectively.
“The Danube as a travel route is becoming increasingly popular. Donauraum Wien therefore looks very optimistically towards the 2025 season. Being the venue of the world’s leading river cruise trade fair for the first time is, of course, a lasting source of pride for us, as Vienna and the Danube are inseparably linked. The ASTA River Cruise Expo offers a great opportunity to position the Shipping Center around Reichsbrücke as a modern and innovative passenger port,” say Ilse Stockinger and Christoph Caspar, Managing Directors of Donauraum Wien.
“We are very pleased to welcome the ASTA River Cruise Expo to the VIECON Center for the first time. We are convinced that we can offer exhibitors and visitors an excellent location, which also stands out due to its short distance to the Danube,” says Martina Candillo, Managing Director of VIECON. At the beginning of the year, Messe Wien was acquired by Wien Holding and now operates under the VIECON brand. This also enables cooperation between various subsidiaries within the group. Managing Director Katharina Weishaupt is enthusiastic: “We are proud that we are already able to make such successful use of synergies shortly after the integration. The cooperation with Donauraum Wien clearly demonstrates how strong we are as part of Wien Holding and what opportunities this creates for future events.”
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