Money Buzz! Europa

Category: Vienna

  • Sharp decline of bed occupancy in Austrian lodging establishments

    Sharp decline of bed occupancy in Austrian lodging establishments

    Bed occupancy in Austrian lodging establishments was 30.5% in the 2019/20 winter season (November 2019 to April 2020), down 7.2 percentage points from the previous season.

    In commercial accommodation establishments, with the exception of camping, occupancy was 33.3% (-8.4 percentage points), while in private establishments it was 22.5% (-3.8 percentage points), according to Statistics Austria.

    Commercial lodging establishments (excluding camping) were just as affected in Corona Summer 2020, with a drop of 15.8 percentage points and an occupancy rate of 26.3%, as private establishments, which had an occupancy rate of 18.0%, 3.3 percentage points lower than in the previous summer.

    More accommodation establishments and beds

    In the tourism year 2019/20 (November 2019 to October 2020), around 1.14 million beds were available in 68.402 accommodation establishments (not including camping).

    Thus, the number of beds rose by 0.9% and the number of establishments by 1.5% compared to the previous year. 50.6% of the available beds were registered in Tyrol (352,010; +0.4%) and Salzburg (226,675; +1.7%).

    73.5% of the total number of beds available in the 2019/20 tourism year were in commercial and 26.5% in private establishments; 81.5% of the nights spent were in commercial and 18.5% in private accommodation.

    However, there were significantly fewer commercial (32.5% of all accommodation establishments; including camping) than private establishments (share: 67.5%).

    Highest number of beds per 1.000 inhabitants in Obertauern and Ischgl

    The largest bed providers were Vienna (82.465 beds in winter 2019/20 and 81.377 in summer 2020), followed by Saalbach-Hinterglemm (winter: 17.696), and the city of Salzburg with 16.121 beds in summer.

    The highest number of beds per 1 000 inhabitants had Obertauern (12.791 in winter) and Ischgl (7.154 in summer).

    The highest share of private beds was recorded in Zell am See (winter: 34.8%, summer: 36.1%).

    The commercial bed share was highest in the city of Salzburg (winter 97.7% and summer 97.6%).

    The average size of accommodation establishments in Salzburg was 84 beds per accommodation establishment in winter and 81 beds in summer, the lowest was in winter in Schladming, Zell am See and St. Anton am Arlberg with 17 beds per accommodation establishment.

  • Austria: New passenger car registrations in 2020 at the lowest level since 1987

    Austria: New passenger car registrations in 2020 at the lowest level since 1987

    According to Statistics Austria, a total of 353.179 new motor vehicles were registered in 2020, 19.0% fewer than in 2019.

    New registrations of passenger cars decreased by 24.5% to 248.740. The number of newly registered lorries fell by 16.7% to 40.042.

    Tractors used for agriculture and forestry increased again in 2020 (+6.9%, 6.446 vehicles). New registrations of two-wheelers also increased significantly (+13.4% to 46.099).

    Increases in new electric and hybrid cars

    In 2020, registrations of new passenger cars fell to 248.740, the lowest level since 1987 (243.221) and also well below the twenty-year-average (313.297).

    Compared to 2019 (329.363 newly registered passenger cars), this was the highest year-on-year decline ever observed.

    New registrations of petrol-powered passenger cars (share: 43.3%) fell by 39.0% and those of diesel passenger cars (share: 36.5%) by 28.0%.

    The share of alternatively powered passenger cars – electric, natural gas, bivalent drive, combined drive (petrol or diesel hybrid) and hydrogen (fuel cell) – reached 20.1% in 2020 with 50.060 vehicles (+90.0%) (2019: 8.0%; 26.346 and 2018: 4.9%; 16.807).

    With a share of 10.2% of all new passenger car registrations or 25.380 vehicles (+105.5% compared to 2019), petrol/electric hybrid vehicles are the most important group among alternatively powered passenger cars; they are followed by passenger cars with electric drives (share: 6.4%; +72.8% to 15.972) and diesel/electric hybrid drives (share: 3.3%; +99.4% to 8.287).

    Primarily legal entities, companies and local authorities are registering new electric cars (share of all new electric car registrations: 81.6% or 13.040 vehicles).

    The highest number of new electric passenger cars was registered in Vienna and Lower Austria (shares of 18.5% and 18.4%, respectively), followed by Upper Austria (17.6%) and Styria (13.0%).

    SUVs ahead of compact class and small cars

    The preferred segment for new passenger car registrations in 2020 is the off-road vehicle or SUV (sport utility vehicle) with a share of 31.5% and 78.403 vehicles.

    SUVs are followed by compact cars with a share of 25.5% (63.333 vehicles) and small cars with a share of 19.5% (48.480 vehicles). Increases compared to 2019 were observed for sports cars (+57.3%, 3.345 vehicles).

    VW remains market leader in Austria

    The Top 10 brands in 2020 represent 67.5% of all new passenger car registrations.

    VW remained the market leader with a share of 15.4%, followed by Skoda (share: 9.5%) and Seat and BMW (share 6.4% each).

    Compared to the previous year, all Top 10 brands had double-digit declines (Opel -43.7%, Ford -27.6%, VW -27.3%, Renault -24.0%, Hyundai -22.6%, Seat -19.7%, BMW -17.4%, Mercedes -14.8%, Skoda -13.5%, Audi -12.8%).

    More than 7 million motor vehicles are registered in Austria

    As of December 31 2020, the provisional stock of motor vehicles in Austria exceeded the 7-million mark (approx. 7.1 million) for the first time.

    That is 1.5% more motor vehicles than in the previous year.

    Passenger cars, the most important vehicle type in terms of share (71.7%), accounted for approx. 5.1 million vehicles, an increase of 1.0%.

    A total of 512.101 lorries (+3.5%), 472.467 tractors used for agriculture and forestry (+0.9%) and 19.388 articulated lorries (+0.3%) were in the stock.

    Campers reached 32.675, an increase of 8.4%. Among single-track vehicles, there were 570.747 motorcycles (+3.8%) and 274.433 scooters (+0.7%).

  • Almdudler is now available in new 1-litre glass bottle

    Almdudler is now available in new 1-litre glass bottle

    The Austrian family-owned company Almdudler will launch Almdudler Original and Almdudler Sugar Free in an environmentally friendly and climate-neutral 6x1L glass container.

    ”We know that consumers are again increasingly turning to the glass multi-way bottle when it is offered” said Managing Director Gerhard Schilling in a statement.

    The bottles are available at Spar, Eurospar and Interspar.

    Claus Hofmann-Credner, Marketing Manager at Almdudler adds ”Glass bottles are not only visually and haptically very high-quality, but also durable and environmentally friendly”.

    Even more, this glass reusable bottles are to be refilled up to 50 times

  • Wi-Fi on A1 motorway between Salzburg and Vienna by 2022

    Wi-Fi on A1 motorway between Salzburg and Vienna by 2022

    ASFINAG wants to make Austrian motorways fit for Wi-Fi technology. The first test section is being set up between Salzburg and Vienna, Heute reports.

    175 first boxes will be installed on overhead indicators along the A1 motorway between Salzburg and Vienna.

    The system is intended to inform drivers of modern vehicles about accidents, construction works or speed limits and is intended to increase road safety.

    By 2023, all Austrian motorways will be equiped with a wireless network for mobile internet access.

    The company plans to install a total of 500 Wi-Fi boxes along all motorways throughout Austria.

    ASFINAG is a federal agency that plans, finance, build, maintain, operate and collect toll for 2,200 kilometres of motorways and expressways in Austria.

  • Immofinanz expands its Stop Shop portfolio by eight locations

    Immofinanz expands its Stop Shop portfolio by eight locations

    Six fully rented retail parks in Serbia and the Czech Republic with roughly 43,000 sqm were purchased from Mitiska REIM, a Belgian investor specialised in these types of commercial properties.

    In addition, Immofinanz closed the purchase of a fully rented retail park (approx. 5,500 sqm) in Voitsberg, Austria, during the fourth quarter of 2020.

    The portfolio in Croatia will be increased by one property in the city of Ludbreg.

    The expected annual rental income from these recently acquired properties totals approximately EUR 5.7 million, and the gross return ranges up to 8.9% for example in Serbia.

    The Stop Shop portfolio now covers 98 locations in nine countries with nearly 720,000 sqm of rentable space and a carrying amount of approximately EUR 1 billion.

    Further acquisitions and internal development projects are currently in preparation.

    Acquisitions in Austria, Czech Republic and Croatia already completed

    The property acquisitions in Austria, the Czech Republic and Croatia have already been finalised.

    The retail park in Voitsberg, which was purchased from a local developer, raises the number of Stop Shops in Austria to 14 locations with roughly 67,000 sqm of rentable space.

    The two retail parks in the Czech cities of Prague and Litvinov with 14,700 sqm in total increase the Stop Shop portfolio in this country to 12 locations with nearly 88,000 sqm of rentable space.

    The real estate package in Serbia includes locations in Leskovac, Sabac, Sombor and Zajecar with roughly 28,200 sqm of rentable space.

    Immofinanz‘s Serbian Stop Shop portfolio will now include 14 properties with approximately 121,000 sqm. The closing is expected to take place in the first quarter of 2021.

    Immofinanz entered the Croatian market with its Stop Shops at the end of 2018. Together with the newly acquired property, the retailer has three STOP SHOPs with 16,400 sqm and further projects are in preparation.

  • OMV sold its filling station business in Germany to EG Group

    OMV sold its filling station business in Germany to EG Group

    EG Group will acquire OMV filling station business in Germany. The transaction is subject to required regulatory approvals and closing is expected in 2021. 

    The purchase price amounts to EUR 485 mn. As part of the agreement, EG Group will assume lease liabilities resulting in a total enterprise value for the business of approximately EUR 614 mn.

    The purchase price is subject to customary net working capital and net debt adjustments. 

    The agreement encompasses 285 filling stations in southern Germany with focus on Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, which have only a very limited degree of integration with OMV’s refinery in Germany, as the refinery is specialized in petrochemicals production.

  • Czech online supermarket Rohlik enters Austrian market

    Czech online supermarket Rohlik enters Austrian market

    Rohlik Austrian branch, Gurkerl.at, is a new online supermarket, which entered the market from 3 December 2020, Heute reports.

    Gurkerl.at sells a 7,500 product range, from items for daily use (including diapers or hair dye products), fresh pastries, meat from Austria and vegetables.

    The company rented a 6,000 square metre warehouse in Tech Park Vienna.

    All orders will be delivered with its own fleet within three hours and in a one-hour window.

    Until 31.12.2020 you can order from a minimum order value of 39 euros. The delivery fee is free until the end of the year.

  • Austrian economy grew by 12% in Q3 2020 compared to previous quarter

    Austrian economy grew by 12% in Q3 2020 compared to previous quarter

    From July to September 2020, the Austrian gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 12.0% in real terms compared to April to June, as Statistics Austria reports.

    Compared to the third quarter 2019, a decline of 4.0% in real terms was recorded.

    The temporary easing of measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic stimulated nearly all industries, private consumption, capital formation as well as foreign trade.

    Overall, however, the economy remained below the pre-crisis level.

    Recovery of consumption

    In the third quarter of 2020, consumption of private households showed a substantial growth of 13.3% in real terms compared to the previous quarter.

    The decline of 5.1% compared to the third quarter of 2019 can be traced back to a still weak demand for services.

    In contrast, demand for durable consumption goods, in particular furniture, recorded a substantial catch-up effect (+7.7% in real terms compared to the previous year’s third quarter).

    Surge in growth of services

    Nearly all industries recovered during the summer months. Above all, the industries most affected by the lockdown during the first half of the year recorded remarkable real growth rates from the second to the third quarter.

    Trade and transportation as well as accommodation and food services grew by 32.9% (-4.5% compared to the third quarter of 2019).

    Arts, recreation and personal services increased by 39.2%. However, the losses were not fully compensated (-7.7% in real terms compared to the third quarter of 2019). 

    Manufacturing and construction also recorded an increase

    Manufacturing also gained momentum during the third quarter of 2020 (+15.7% in real terms compared to the previous quarter, -4.0% in real terms compared to the previous year’s quarter).

    Construction recorded real growth of 10.1% compared to the previous quarter and thereby reached pre-crisis levels (+0.2% in real terms compared to the previous year’s quarter). 

    Industries which were rarely affected by the lockdown, such as real estate activities, public administration and health services, remained overall stable (real estate activities: -0.4% in real terms compared to the second quarter and +1.5% in real terms compared to the third quarter of 2019, public administration and health services: +0.5% in real terms compared to the second quarter and +0.6% in real terms compared to the third quarter of 2019).

  • SPAR Austria at 100 solar-powered stores in the country

    SPAR Austria at 100 solar-powered stores in the country

    SPAR Austria installed a solar power system on the roof of the SPAR Wolkersdorf, bringing the number of solar-powered stores to 100.

    The company plans to roll out the systems in additional stores nationwide.

    SPAR store rooftop solar systems created 4.8 million kilowatt-hours of green electricity, which was used directly onsite.

    Compared to the domestic electricity mix, this green energy contributes to a CO2 reduction of 800 tonnes.

    With the electricity generated on rooftops, SPAR powers instore cooling, lighting, and IT systems.

    Annually, SPAR Austria invests about €1 million in the expansion of solar energy, in close cooperation with regional energy providers.

    SPAR Austria intends to reduce its instore energy consumption by 50% by 2050, compared to 2009, and to decrease greenhouse gas emissions by 90%.

    SPAR alro operates two hydropower plants at the SPAR Supermarket in Graz-Floßlendplatz and the SES shopping centre SILLPARK in Innsbruck.

  • Austrian Post revenues fell to EUR 883.3m in the first nine months of 2020

    Austrian Post revenues fell to EUR 883.3m in the first nine months of 2020

    Austrian Post Mail Division improved after reaching its lowest point in the second quarter. On balance, revenue fell by 9.0 % to EUR 883.3m in the first nine months 2020.

    Following the lockdown-related loss in Letter Mail and Direct Mail items mostly in April 2020, the volatility and uncertainty have increased in the third quarter, with the volume of addressed mail items remaining below the long-term trend in particular.
     
    The Parcel & Logistics Division reported a revenue increase of 31.9 % to EUR 576.6m in the first nine months of 2020.
     
    Earnings of the Mail Division fell by EUR 22m in contrast to the EUR 11m increase in the Parcel & Logistics Division in the first three quarters of 2020.

    In total, EBIT of the logistics business (excl. Retail & Bank Division) was down by 10.0 % to EUR 118.7m in the first three quarters of 2020.

    Austrian Post launched its own banking service

    The new bank99 has been operating on the market since April 2020 and is developing a focused offering of financial services.

    The bank has already succeeded in attracting more than 54,000 customers until the end of October 2020.

    The Retail & Bank Division achieved a negative result of EUR 37.3m due to the start-up costs of bank99 and the impact related to COVID-19.

  • Vienna Insurance Group to pay EUR 830 million for CEE business of Aegon

    Vienna Insurance Group to pay EUR 830 million for CEE business of Aegon

    Vienna Insurance Group agreed with Aegon on 29 November 2020 to acquire Aegon’s insurance business in Hungary, Poland, Romania and Turkey.

    The purchase price amounts to EUR 830 million. The transaction is subject to the necessary regulatory and competition approvals.

    Closing of the transaction is expected to take place in the second half of 2021.

    VIG will take over Aegon’s non-life and life insurance companies as well as pension funds, asset management and service companies in these countries.

    With the acquisition of these companies, VIG is further expanding its leading market position in Central and Eastern Europe and moves up to the first rank in Hungary’s insurance market.

    In addition, VIG is extending its scope of activity in the pension fund business in this region and will also be active in the life business in Turkey for the first time.

    The premium volume of the insurance companies in the four countries amounted to the equivalent of approx. EUR 600 million in 2019, with a net profit of approx. EUR 50 million.

  • Austrian digital platform enables fans to chat live with their favorite stars

    Austrian digital platform enables fans to chat live with their favorite stars

    Meet your Star is the world’s first digital platform that enables fans to chat live with their favorite stars and talents via one-on-one video connections.

    The platform creates a split-screen video recording of each conversation between a user and star, which the user can share on social media once the star releases the video. 

    Hollywood attorney Patrick Knapp-Schwarzenegger, whose clients include Nicolas Cage, Jason Statham and Jackie Chan as well as his uncle Arnold Schwarzenegger, joined Meet your Star as partner and investor.

    Meet your Star launched with a focus on German-speaking stars in Europe, a 100-million-person market. The US rollout is set to begin early next year.

    A veteran in the entertainment industry, Meet your Star’s founder Georg Kindel’s previous projects include a decade-long partnership with former world leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mikhail Gorbachev.

    Each video chat supports a charitable organization

    Part of the proceeds generated by each video chat and video shoutout will be donated to a charitable organization chosen by the star.

    The star also decides which percentage of their fee they wish to donate (minimum 10%).