Despite the flood, in the period from May to September 2023, tourist arrivals and presences from Austria increased on the Coast compared to last year, respectively +8.8% +7.5%. Boom in September (+22% arrivals and +17.6% attendance), thanks also to the night train from Vienna and Munich to the Riviera. The meetings in the presence of the charge d’affaires of the Italian Embassy in Vienna, Gabriele De Stefano, with Magdalena Hugeneck, of the Cabinet of the Minister of Transport, Sabine Stock, passenger transport representative of the Austrian Railways, the president of the Regional Council of Vienna, Ernst Woller, and the representatives of the Italian System in Vienna
Availability for expand rail connections between Austria and Emilia-Romagnaand in particular to confirm for the next summer season and for the future the direct rail connections to the Romagna Riviera, with particular reference to the night train, NightJet, departing from Vienna and Munich with arrival in the tourist resorts of the coast: Rimini, Riccione and Cattolica. And starting one new collaboration with the Land of Vienna.
This is the result of the meetings of the delegation led by the president of the Emilia-Romagna Region, Stefano Bonacciniaccompanied by the councilor for Mobility, Transport and Tourism, Andrea Corsiniand by the director of Apt Servizi, Emanuele Burioni, flew to Vienna to meet representatives of the Viennese institutions, the Austrian Ministry of Transport and the ÖBB (Austrian Railways). Among the objectives, the strengthening of relations with Austria and the confirmation for 2024 and the next few years of the railway service activated in 2023 in place of the historic Florence-Rome section which is not practicable due to works on the line.
The meeting with was positive Sabine Stockcontact person for passenger transport connections of the Austrian Railways who has expressed his willingness, in agreement with Trenitalia, to consolidate the route towards the Romagna coast.
From the delegation’s meeting with Magdalena Hugeneckcontact person for transport of the Cabinet of Leonore Gewessler, Minister of Transport and the Environment, the Region’s strategies for environmental and economic sustainability were presented and convergence emerged on the need to increase rail connections to encourage mobility that is increasingly compatible with the environment. In particular, the commitment to combating climate change was reiterated also at a social level, where the ecological transition must become an opportunity for all citizens.
Connections with the Romagna Riviera will be made official by March, in view of the summer season.
The data from the Regional Tourism Observatory processed by Trademark Italia on the Riviera recorded in period May-September 2023 circa 43,000 arrivals (+8.8% on 2022) and approx 218,000 visitors (+7.5% on 2022) of Austrian tourists.
“The positive data on arrivals in Emilia-Romagna confirm that the direct line is an effective element for the development of tourism from Austria and Germany – he adds Corsini-. Also with this objective, a communication campaign will be carried out to encourage their arrival. We will now work, in agreement with Trenitalia and RFI, to resolve the technical problems for the Riccione and Cattolica stops, which we hope will find a positive outcome as soon as possible.”
In the morning also the delegation’s meeting with the president of the Vienna Regional Council, Ernst Woller, in which the start of an institutional collaboration between the Emilia-Romagna Region and the Land of Vienna was discussed in a very cordial atmosphere. President Bonaccini in particular thanked the help provided by Austria during the flood, with the sending of pumping equipment through the EU civil protection mechanism.
Help that also came from the Austro-Italian Society which last October organized a celebratory event for the 50th anniversary of his birth, with a fundraiser in favor of the victims of the flood in Emilia-Romagna.
Also present at the meetings were Burioni Gabriele De Stefanointerim charge d’affaires of the Italian Embassy in Vienna, e Andrea ColonnelliENIT contact person in Vienna.