Austria to vaccinate every adult in next 100 days

Austria is performing well in its vaccination programme when compared to other European states.

According to the Statista website https://www.statista.com/statistics/1196071/covid-19-vaccination-rate-in-europe-by-country/ , Austria is in 9th place in Europe with 19.5 percent of its population having been given at least one dose, just behind Denmark which is at 20 percent.

One reason is probably that it has not stopped using the AstraZeneca vaccine for certain age groups.

Last week Chancellor Sebastian Kurz promised every adult in Austria who wants to be vaccinated against the coronavirus will be given the opportunity in the next 100 days.

Kurz also said sport, restaurants and hotels will be able to open again in May, after over 65s are vaccinated.

In May all over 50-year-olds should be jabbed, and in June vaccination is to be opened to all age groups. (source: thelocal.at).

Welcome news for the tourism industry and the forthcoming Summer season.

Our operator all-suite.com is expecting a very busy July, August and September.

June could also start to get busy and in October they are expecting good business from the hiking tourists in Oetz and Fieberbrunn where the lifts run from 13 May to 26 October.

More and more tourists now prefer to stay in a well-spaced, self-contained apartment where they have the flexibility to cook instead of the old-fashioned 3 and 4-star family-run hotels which run the standard half-board service model in a riskier environment with more communal areas.

At Kristall Spaces, we are arranging meetings next week with property buyers from Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and the UK who are travelling for business purposes right now to invest in a property that supports tourism.

Please contact us today to arrange your property viewing in person or remotely via video.

11 January: visiting Tirol to see apartments & sign contracts

There is currently a lockdown in place in Austria until 24 January and we are advising prospective apartment buyers to wait until after this date to travel to Tirol.

IMPORTANT: if you travelling to see an apartment or sign a contract (mortgage or Kaufvertrag) then your visit is categorsied as a business trip because you are considering an investment in a “gewerbliche Ferienwohnung” which supports tourism in Tirol.  

In other words, you are not travelling as a tourist and it is easier to enter Austria.  

Please contact us to discuss this and we will advise you on the best way to make a visit e.g. some visitors crossing the border from Germany will be arriving by car to see an apartment and returning home on the same day, without a stay in Tirol.  

The situation for tourists:    

Our operator, All-Suite Resorts GmbH, is currently planning to open on Monday 25 January and they are considering two scenarios for February which is typically a very busy month for tourism from all the key markets.

There might be no customers at all except for Austrians because the restrictions are in place entering Tirol and returning home or there could be a deluge of arrivals. 

Arriving tourists would probably have to show a negative test to avoid quarantine or if they do not have a test then this could be arranged on arrival and the guest would have to stay in their apartment for up to 24 hours until they get the result.  

Tourists would have to comply with their home country rules and some of these might require a quarantine for 5 days followed by a test to release them. 

This might be an acceptable given the various holidays in key markets like Germany, the Benelux, Switzerland and the Czech Republic.  

The new “work from home” means the impact of quarantine is less disruptive on working lives.   

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. 

27 November: visiting Tirol & site visits

There is currently a lockdown in place in Tirol until 6 December.  Hotels are closed to leisure travellers/tourists; only business travellers are allowed to stay in hotels.

Some of our buyers have legitimate excuses to travel for business or for the purpose of making an investment in a “gewerbliche Ferienwohnung” which supports Austria’s tourism industry.

The Federal Government has ordered over 7 million tests to try and screen the entire population at 100 testing stations across the country before Christmas.

SITE VISITS – REAL & VIRTUAL

  • Kristall Spaces is still planning site visits in-person for buyers who are able to travel – observing all safety protocols
  • It is easier for buyers based in Austria to do site visits right now but some buyers are able to cross from Germany for 24hours to do the site visit and then they go home
  • Buyers from further afield can even fly into Munich airport to make a quick visit over the border before returning
  • Virtual visits: we are also doing visits over video with our customers – we can make a video call from the finished apartments or the shell of the apartments in Fieberbrunn for example
  • 3D tours: for finished apartments in Oetz, Sölden and St. Anton customers can walk around the last few apartments for sale (we have sold several apartments this way) e.g. https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=CnyP9pwmAEi

TESTING & SAFETY

  • The total number of infections in Tirol is falling
  • Most of the infections are in densely populated areas like Innsbruck – the valleys and ski resorts are not affected and, for example, there are 164 infections in the Bezirk of Landeck, the district which covers Ischgl and St. Anton
  • Our hotel operating company can arrange COVID tests with local doctors and have the cost charged to the bill for the stay in our apartments https://www.apartments-oetztal.com/en/latest/
  • The national testing programme will enable all the authorities to isolate infected people before Christmas
  • Andreas Steibl, the Director of Tourism in Ischgl says more than €700,000 had been invested in their hygiene and protection plan which “goes far beyond the government’s measures”
  • The Tirol state government and University of Innsbruck are monitoring Ischgl’s sewage works to identify any presence of the virus
  • Disinfection of all cable cars takes place several times a day using special cold fogging devices: within 1 minute 99.99% of viruses, bacteria and spores are eliminated (the active ingredient does not leave behind residue and is 100% biodegradable, non-toxic, pH-neutral as well as skin- and eye-friendly)
  • And a multifunctional scarf with a filtering face-piece comes free with the lift pass

WHERE TO SKI

  • The ski slopes in Austria will not be closing
  • Tourism Minister Elisabeth Köstinger (ÖVP) makes the point that the virus does not spread on the ski slopes but mainly in closed indoor areas: “Das Virus verbreitet sich nicht auf den Skipisten, sondern vor allem auch in geschlossenen Innenräumen”
  • Ski lift openings: Oetz (11 Dec), Fieberbrunn (7 Dec), Ischgl (17 Dec), Leutasch cross-country started 20 November,  Sölden (11 Dec) and St Anton (18 Dec)

Please contact us today to discuss your visit to Tirol.

Austrian border opens from Germany on 15 June

From 15 June, Austrian Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have agreed to open the border from Germany to Austria allowing other nationalities to pass more freely through Germany into Austria.

https://www.welt.de/print/die_welt/article207962143/Erste-Grenzen-oeffnen-sich.html

Currently, there are 53 people reported with the virus in Tirol.  3,370 people have recovered and sadly 107 people have died.

Restaurants in Tirol open today (15 May) and hotels open 29 May.

Site visits for Austrian property investors have already begun and we are making appointments for German and Swiss buyers.

Current water temperature in the Piburger See is 20°c  https://www.bergfex.at/sommer/oetz/webcams/c17119/

Area 47 opens fully on 26 June; the wakeboard area is already open at the weekends.

Rising number of cross-country skiers

Surveys and statistics show that Germans (the largest tourist demographic to Austria) are developing a growing interest in and passion for cross-country skiing.

This statement is particularly supported by a trend study carried out by the market research company Kantar TNS and the Olympiaregion Seefeld “Winter Sports in Germany 2018”. The managing director of the Olympiaregion Seefeld, Elias Walser, confirms the results of the survey based on his own observations in everyday working life as well as the interaction with visitors: “We have been observing the growing popularity of cross-country skiing for several years and meet our guests’ needs comprehensively. We start the new cross-country season around the 11th November as one of the first winter sport destinations and most traditional cross-country skiing locations in the Alps. ”

At the ISPO Munich, the world’s largest multi-segment fair for sports, Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ralf Roth from the German Sport University Cologne summarised the study “Winter Sports Germany 2018” and gave a presentation at the symposium of “Your Winter. Your Sport.”

The sponsors of “Your Winter. Your Sport. ” discussed the results together with other presidents of ski and sports associations in Germany (including the German Ski Instructor Association DSLV, the Federal Association of the German Sporting Goods Industry & Managing Director Marmot Europe) and CEOs of international sports retailers (including the Uvex sports group).

Furthermore, the experts addressed questions about future procedures, methods and campaigns of all sectors involved, in order to guarantee the practice of winter sports and to increase the enthusiasm for an active, healthy lifestyle among the population.

Cross-country skiing: More than just a trend

The study shows that more than half of the German population above the age of 18 (51% = approx. 35 million) expressed a general interest in cross-country skiing. It demonstrates that actually 10% more people who are actively into winter sports would prefer to start or resume cross-country skiing rather than alpine skiing or snowboarding.

Even those who had only tried cross-country skiing once before in their life emphasised their wish to pick it up again, according to the survey (7%).

In 2017, around 5.7 million cross-country skiers were active on the trails. Although alpine skiing is still at the top with a total of 8 million skiers in 2018, general developments show that alpine skiing could be overtaken soon, especially since cross-country skiing is cheaper than skiing. Another result of the study shows that snowboarding is practiced almost exclusively by younger generations as their main choice of sport and is generally recessive. 30% of those Germans who are sporty in principal but who have not yet done any regular exercise in the winter can imagine starting to do a specific winter sport.

“Winter sports are as popular as ever before,” assures Dr. Roth from the Cologne Sports University. Based on the study it’s evident that sports enthusiasts try and carry out several different winter sport activities over many years of their life. However, this is dependent on subjective tendencies and preferences as well as external circumstances.

On average, German citizens practice about 2.2 snow sports. Around 5.82 million prefer, in addition to other well-known winter sports (alpine skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, ski tours, tobogganing or sledding), above all cross-country skiing as their main sport. To underline these statistics, Prof. Dr. Roth and his team introduced the “Winter Sports Days” (“Wintersport-Tage”) as a new numerical value. The main sport of the Germans was also taken into account in order to collect more data for the study. According to this, German citizens spend a total of 300 million days a year doing different winter sports.

When it comes to winter holidays, factors such as relaxation, family time and extensive outdoor activities play a very big part in the decision making process for Germans. German winter sports enthusiasts spend an average of 14.6 days actively in the fresh air in order to escape everyday stress and to relax. 77% usually try to focus on those things that are neglected in everyday life and for 76% being active with family, partners or friends is very important. The focus lies on spending time in nature, exercising in the fresh air as well as a low risk of danger (e.g. terrorist attacks). According to the Kantar TNS study, cross-country skiing falls under extensive trend categories and can meet the multifaceted needs of visitors. Promoting health including endurance and fitness (67%) is the greatest motivating factor for practising cross-country skiing. A report by the AWA (Allensbach market and advertising media analysis), which determines the habits of consumption and media usage of the German population based on a wide range of sources and statistics, stated that in 2019 around 710,000 Germans (from the age of 14) did cross-country skiing in their leisure time.

Seefeld-Leutasch: a Mecca for Cross-country skiing

The Olympiaregion Seefeld-Leutasch in Tyrol with its municipalities of Seefeld, Leutasch, Scharnitz, Reith bei Seefeld and Mösern is and remains one of the most popular cross-country skiing destinations in the Alps. The Seefeld-Leutasch region has 280 km of perfectly prepared cross-country trails for all levels of difficulty and a Nordic competence center (Nordisches Kompetenzzentrum) including a World Cup arena with ski jumps, biathlon and snow-making facilities. Cross-country skiing in Austria is particularly popular among Germans with a percentage of over 60%.

Compared to Seefeld-Leutasch there aren’t many other regions which are as popular in the summer as well as in the winter. As a cycling and hiking center (460 km) and a hotspot in the golf region center with 6 golf courses (including an 18-hole golf course in Leutasch), more and more holidaymakers choose Seefeld-Leutasch for their summer holiday destination in the Austrian Alps. With 30 ski lifts at 1,200 to 2,064m and  Seefeld-Leutasch has a lot to offer for skiers and snowboarders.

Everyone is talking about Seefeld-Leutasch

The snow-sure Olympiaregion Seefeld-Leutasch isn’t just famous for its cross-country skiing among holidaymakers. In the winter and summer high seasons of 2014/15, 2015/16 and 2016/2017, there was a general increase in arrivals and overnight stays. The number of arrivals increased especially in the summer between 2014/15 and 2016/17. In the summer of 2014/15, 221,000 arrivals and in the following summer season 2016/17 a total of 278,000 (plus 57.000) arrivals were recorded. In winter 2015/16 there were significantly more arrivals than in the previous year. According to records from the Seefeld Tourism Association, there were a total of 235,333 arrivals and 991,719 overnight stays in the 2018/19 winter season.

On the list of most important tourism communities in Tyrol, Seefeld came in 10th place with the following key figures in the winter season of 2018/19: 127,264 arrivals, 526,457 overnight stays, 77 commercial occupancy days and 153 overnight stays per inhabitant. (Source: www.tirol.gv.at/fileadmin/themen/statistik-budget/statistik/downloads/Tourismus/Der_Tourismus_im_Winter_18_19.pdf ).

All-Suite Resort Leutasch

Kristall Spaces is delighted to introduce the marketing phase of our latest aparthotel project, All-Suite Resort Leutasch, near Seefeld.

These 86 new apartments are being built in a dream location with a breathtaking 360 degree view and a 500 m² spa including a heated outdoor pool, gym, restaurant and bar. A professional operator will rent and market the apartments for you and thanks to the strong year-round tourism in the Olympiaregion Seefeld high returns can be achieved.

Contact us today so that we can register your interest in this project and keep you up to date. We will be happy to send you floor plans and pricing as soon as they are available.

Covid-19 and investing in property in Tirol

Following consultation with our partners and advisors who work across the construction and tourism sectors in Tirol, please find below the status of our operations in Austria.

CONSTRUCTION 

  • Government guidelines published today permit the reopening of construction sites under strict conditions and at the discretion of the construction companies  www.tt.com/artikel/30725737/einigung-baustellen-laufen-mit-strengen-schutzmassnahmen-weiter
  • Discussions are ongoing between the developer and our contractors with a view to reopening our building sites promptly
  • Unless business conditions deteriorate (supply chains), we anticipate no change to our handover schedule

All-Suite Resort Fieberbrunn – ready to pour concrete:

OPERATOR ACTIVITY 

  • Our operator business, All-Suite Resorts-Österreich GmbH, expects no impact on the 2020-21 Winter season
  • We anticipate a strong rebound for tourism in Tirol once the Covid-19 crisis abates in the Autumn
  • All-Suite Resorts is taking bookings for this Summer season: customers may cancel their bookings at no cost up to 24 hours before arrival
  • We predict that EU based tourists (Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, UK and Czech etc) will favour arrival by car or short-haul holiday destinations for the foreseeable future

PROPERTY SALES 

  • Although we have received fewer enquiries this month we have made 3 apartment reservations
  • We are confident site visits will resume in Tirol from May
  • The Kristall Spaces team is working remotely and progressing buyer transactions and conclusion of contracts with our lawyers
  • Our mortgage advisors continue to arrange finance with Austrian banks on behalf of buyers

Please keep safe and healthy and don’t hesitate to contact us at any time.  We look forward to updating you on progress in due course.

Contact: Branson Atterbury, Marketing Director on +44 20 3735 8790

February: peak profitability in Austria

Winter is here in the Austrian Alps with all resorts receiving a good supply of snow this week – up to 76 cm in some places.

www.bergfex.com/stanton-stchristoph/wetter/berg/

There was already a decent base of snow but the extra top-up is welcome as the ski season starts to peak and the resorts fill up for the February holidays.

Sölden currently has a respectable 102 cm in the valley and 368 cm on the mountain which compares to 420 cm on the mountain in mid-February last year during some of the heaviest snowfalls on record.  Fieberbrunn, for example, had 451cm of fresh snow in just 15 days!

So, great conditions in all resorts as we enter the busiest period when overnight rates are at their highest during the Fasching and Winterferien periods with Dutch / Belgian (Krokusvakantie) and UK half-term holidays all taking place in February too.

As tourism numbers continue to grow in Austria after another record season last winter (+3.8% in arrivals), all apartments are fully booked out and a positive impact will be felt for next year’s bookings as many families will be quick to secure their winter holiday in 2021 later this month.

Rental rates for our apartments can be 3 to 4 times higher during these weeks for owners when compared to the cheapest, shoulder weeks in the season.

Please see below a summary on our projects: 

All-Suite Resort Ötztal – 14 dual season apartments ready to occupy. 2 swimming pools. 100 metres to the ski lift. Up to 40 cm of snow forecast to fall this week.  3D tours are available for each apartment.

All-Suite Resort Fieberbrunn – Completion December 2020. 16 out of 36 apartments left: 2, 3 and 4 bedroom apartments.

All-Suite Resort Paznaun – 7 minutes on the ski bus from Ischgl.  Selling fast.  Infinity pool, spa and restaurant onsite. Construction starts Spring 2020 with handover June 2021.

Sölden / Obergurgl – two 3-bedroom apartments available in Haus Christiane from 636,000€. Dual aspect with 3 balconies & view towards the Nederkogl 3,163m. Special zoning: can be used as a second home or rented to tourists.

St. Anton – last apartment available: 2-beds, 80.15m² for €799,000.-  (includes 1 underground parking).  Here is a 3D tour my.matterport.com/show/?m=2yM3JdqUrW3

All-Suite Resort Leutasch – in the planning phase. 10 minutes from “Olympic” Seefeld.

If you are interested to hear more about our ski properties in Tyrol and/or would like to arrange a site visit and meet with one of our consultants, please do not hesitate to contact us:

AT: +43 676 962 7712

NL: +31 6 48 92 32 43

UK: +44 20 3735 8790

Clear advice on Brexit for UK buyers

There is some confusion and sadly misleading information being given to UK and non-EU citizens about buying property in Austria at the moment.

Here is a quick steer based on unambiguous advice provided by our retained lawyers in Innsbruck who help our EU and non-EU based customers buy apartments in Tirol, Austria: according to the TGVG 1996, United Kingdom nationals are no longer covered by the fundamental freedoms for the purposes of the Tyrolean Land Transfer Act.

This means UK citizens can no longer buy property in Austria as a natural person like other EU citizens but they can buy using a SPV and we can help set this up.

We have many associate companies in Tirol and we know how to create an EU company to buy the property (the directors and shareholders can be of any nationality).

We have been using this SPV approach for years for non-EU buyers from the US, New Zealand, South Africa and Norway etc

Tax treaties between the UK and Austria are negotiated separately and not under the control of the EU so there is no change post-Brexit, in that respect.

It is not impossible there might be an agreement that enables UK citizens to buy in Austria just like before – there could be a special case made for the UK (after all, we are their 4th most important tourism market and highest spenders per capita).

And there are also 3 times more Austrians living in the UK than Brits in Austria and the Austrians are keen to keep things the way they are and avoid any reciprocal changes.

Please do not hesitate to contact us or call on +44 20 3735 8790 for advice without any obligation.

September 2019 update – all projects

There has been some snow in the Alps.  There was half a metre on the glacier in Sölden earlier this month and the long-range forecasts are predicting another cold winter.  Will we get 451cm in 15 days like last year in Fieberbrunn? Here is an update on our projects going into the Autumn.

Sölden – we have 2 projects for sale here: one project with 8 apartments left and rare zoning (can be a main or second residence or rental) completion December 2020 AND another project which we will complete end October 2019 – 2 apartments left and if you buy now you could have the keys for December and start to earn from the highest rental income weeks.

Ötztal – ready to occupy.  Completed in July 2019.  Dual season apartments with 2 swimming pools. 100 metres to the ski lift.  Some of the best returns in Austria: the operator forecasts up to 8% return on capital invested when taking out a 60% mortgage or a guaranteed 4% return on net purchase price for first 5 years.  25 minutes from Innsbruck airport.   12 apartments left.  Perfect time to become an owner in the run-up to the Winter season.

Fieberbrunn – 40% sold so still a good choice of apartments.  270km of pistes – will soon connect with Zell am See.  High capital growth location. The operator forecasts up to 7% return on capital invested when taking out a 60% mortgage or a guaranteed 4% return on net purchase price for first 5 years.  Highest snowfall in Tirol.  Excellent off-piste skiing.  Dual season: 47% of all visitors to Fieberbrunn come in summer (higher rental income).  Completion December 2020.  Construction resumes October 2019.

Ischgl – we have been taking non-binding reservations but now we will make formal reservations with all the contracts ready for customers to sign.  Unique opportunity – no other apartments like these are available in Paznaun. 60% of the price of property in Iscghl centre whilst only 7 minutes on the free ski bus.

Other news:

  • Tourism numbers continue to grow in Austria after another record season last winter (+3.8% in arrivals)
  • More UK flights to Austria: Jet2 has announced Innsbruck as a new destination for this winter and added new flights from Birmingham, London Stansted and Manchester as well as additional flights to Salzburg from Birmingham, Leeds Bradford and Stansted during the February half-term
  • Brexit: there are no changes right now in how a UK citizen buys property in Tirol and even if the UK leaves without a deal on 31 October, it will take months for the laws to change in Austria if UK citizens are required to buy apartments using company
  • Merging the Pitztal and Sölden glaciers: as we await the final decision of the Umweltverträglichkeitsprüfung (UVP) in January 2020, surely every skier’s heart is beating that bit faster!
  • New € 60 million Silvretta Spa and swimming pool complex being built in Ischgl https://www.ischgl.com/en/More/Project-Silvretta-spa
  • Season opening dates:
    • Sölden: 6 lifts already open on Rettenbach glacier / Obergurgl opens 14 November
    • Ischgl opens 28 November
    • Fieberbrunn opens 29 November
    • St Anton opens 29 November
    • Oetz opens 13 December / Kühtai opens 29 November
  • Our associate operating company, All-Suite Resorts, has appointed leading international hotel consultancy Linser Hospitality www.linserhospitality.com to work on standards and consistency for all All-Suite Resorts projects, starting with All-Suite Resorts Ötztal.

Contact us today or call on +44 20 3735 8790 to discuss any aspect of buying property in Austria. 

Branson Atterbury, Marketing Director

Or why not read our FAQ on buying and owning Austrian property

Record snowfall in Tyrol

Back in late January 2018, nobody thought that the Austrian snowfall of 100 cm in 48 hours could be topped but this year, the Avalanche Warning Service (Lawinenwarndienst Tirol) is talking about the best snow conditions since measurements began in 1937.

In some parts of Tyrol, where they usually expect 6 to 7 metres of snow each season, they already have 5 metres.  Take Fieberbrunn for example at 962m where 451cm of fresh snow fell in 15 days.

While some of the press and social media are dramatising the wintry conditions and reporting a near state of emergency, hotel and restaurant owners and the ski lift companies underline the importance of these conditions: they grew up with snow like this, they can easily cope and it’s how it should be!


Current snow depth report in key Austrian resorts compared to mid-February last year:

St Anton
2018: 140 cm Valley / 415 cm Mountain
2019: 95 cm Valley / 345 cm Mountain

Hochoetz  
2018: 40 cm Valley / 220 cm Mountain
2019: 290 cm Valley / 260 cm Mountain

Fieberbrunn  
2018: 100cm Valley / 200 cm Mountain
2019: 110 cm Valley / 220 cm Mountain

Sölden
2018: 20 cm Valley / 325 cm Mountain
2019: 108 cm Valley / 420 cm Mountain

Ischgl
2018: 100 cm Valley / 170 cm Mountain
2019: 70 cm Valley / 150 cm Mountain

As the snow falls and the number of tourists coming to the Austrian Tirol continues to grow by 6% per annum, new beds are provided by developers such as Kristall Spaces and local councils can continually enhance their offer for the visitors.  

Further investment in infrastructure such as the additional lifts and ski runs between Kühtai and Hochoetz (55 Million Euros), the connection between the Pitztal glacier and Sölden’s glaciers or even the new TUI hotel in Fieberbrunn demonstrates confidence in the Austrian ski industry which has not had a recession in the last 100 years: a real safe haven for property investors.  (Over the past 15 years, more than 6 Billion Euros have been invested in new ski lifts and in the development of ski resort connections).  

If you are interested to hear more about our ski properties in Tyrol and/or would like to arrange a site visit and meet with one of our consultants, please do not hesitate to contact us:

AT: +43 676 962 7712

NL: +31 6 48 92 32 43

UK: +44 20 3735 8790