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UPDATED: The UK and three European countries on Austria’s virus variant list

The UK, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands have been added to Austria's virus variant list, sending many families' Christmas plans into disarray, Austria announced after a Covid summit on Wednesday.

Published: 22 December 2021 12:28 CET
Updated: 23 December 2021 16:02 CET
Passengers wait at an airport.
Will Austria impose quarantine on travellers from the UK and three EU countries? Photo: Adrian DENNIS / AFP

The change will come into effect on December 25th.

For countries on the virus variant list, called Virusvariantgebiete in German, entry to Austria is subject to certain rules, in addition to the 2G rules (vaccination or recovery) that apply to everyone.

To enter Austria from the UK, the Netherlands, Denmark or Norway, travellers must show proof of a booster vaccination and a negative PCR test. Children under the age of 12 are exempt from the rules and teenagers eligible for the Holiday Ninja Pass will be able to enter with a negative PCR test (valid for 48 hours).

People arriving from these countries that have not received the booster shot will have to quarantine for 10 days upon arrival in Austria. This means even those that are fully vaccinated (two shots) will still have to quarantine.

For those travelling from non-virus variant countries, entry to Austria is possible with proof of full vaccination (two doses) or recovery from Covid-19, and a negative PCR test or proof of a booster shot. 

If someone does not have a negative PCR test or has not received the booster shot, then they need to show proof of vaccination (two shots) or recovery, register for pre-travel clearance and self-isolate on arrival until a negative PCR test is provided. A test can be taken at the airport or any other test site.

Pregnant women and those who can’t be vaccinated for medical reasons must show a medical certificate and a negative PCR test. 

Another consideration for travellers is that once a destination is listed as a virus variant country it can mean travel options are reduced and many flights cancelled, so that even for people still allowed to enter Austria, it can become more difficult in practice.

There were already ten countries on Austria’s virus variant risk list due to the spread of the Omicron variant, all located in southern Africa. They are: Angola, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa

Q&A: What will Austria’s Covid restrictions be over Christmas and New Year?

The Tiroler Tageszeitung was the first to report that the government was considering adding the countries to the variant list, with the Health Ministry confirming that the issue was on the agenda at the summit.

Other measures were also announced at the press conference, including a 10pm curfew for the gastronomy sector from December 27th, including on New Year’s Eve. You can read more on those measures by clicking here.

Useful links

FAQ on rules for entering Austria – Health Ministry 

Austria’s pre-travel clearance form in English

Austrian tourist board

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DISCOVER AUSTRIA

Where in Austria do locals ‘hate’ tourists?

Salzburg implements a tourism concept to limit day-trippers, a restaurant owner in Carinthia bans tourists from his dining tables, and locals in Hallstatt build a wall to hinder tourists from taking selfies, blaming them for lowering the quality of life for residents in the area.

Published: 19 April 2024 12:46 CEST
Where in Austria do locals 'hate' tourists?

Austria is recognised as the world’s most overcrowded country, with more than three tourists for every permanent resident of the country.

In some parts of Austria, the high number of tourists has become a matter of concern and has created dislike among the locals.

Fences, blocked tunnels and restaurant bans 

The small-town Hallstatt of just 750 residents in Salzkammergut, sees about a million visitors per year, which is something that the locals are not always able to tolerate.

Last year, placard-waving locals blocked the tunnel into Hallstatt and also created a fence to block the views from the city, making it hard for tourists to take selfies at one of the most popular viewing spots.

Carinthia, in the south of Austria, also gained attention for tourist scepticism when a restaurant owner introduced a ‘locals only’ policy during last summer’s peak season, banning tourists from entering. He was accused of racism but defended his actions by stating that the restaurant was too busy to serve and welcome everyone.

The restaurant had also previously banned other groups of people, such as “Arabs, vegans, and hippies”, as they expressed it. During winter 2023, the restaurant announced in an Instagram story: “This is how the Peppino team is starting the new year. We would like to inform you all that our restaurant will be closed on January 16th, 2023, and will reopen on January 19th, 2023, with 6 tables reserved for our regular guests and locals”.

READ ALSO: MAP: Austria’s 12 World Heritage sites you have to visit at least once

Strategies to control tourism impact in Salzburg and Vienna

In larger cities such as Salzburg and Vienna, certain measures are being taken to control the impact of tourists.

Last July, Salzburg experienced its busiest month ever, with a record of 3.68 million hotel stays throughout the state. However, tourists are not always warmly in Mozart’s birth city, with reports of some locals openly swearing at tour guides in the street.

Salzburg wants to limit tourists from making shorter visits. The city’s head of tourism, Christine Schönhuber, says that Salzburg has no strategy for “quality tourism” and that “mass tourism” in the city is out of control. The tourism strategy until 2025 is under revision to prioritise overnight guests and ease the impact of day trippers, with suggestions including restrictions on souvenir shops, closing some streets to cars, and considering closing the bus terminal at the city’s Mirabellplatz to day-tripping companies.

The city of Vienna has also implemented certain measures to regulate the impact of the number of tourists. The city has stated its intention to promote alternative attractions and neighbourhoods, encouraging tourists to explore areas beyond the city centre.

Two tourists looking at a map of the city in front of a bookstore in Salzburg. (Photo by AFP)
 

New survey about attitudes towards tourism

Even if tourism acceptance in Austria is generally high, it has seen a decline, particularly in the most touristic regions of the country. The growing scepticism is influenced partly by concerns about labour shortages and environmental impact.

State secretary for tourism Susanne Kraus-Winkler from The Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) aims to survey more than 10,000 people annually about their attitudes towards tourism.

While in tourist hotspots such as Hallstatt, local scepticism towards tourist masses is growing, elsewhere, people would like to see more visitors. Kraus-Winkler intends to improve this unbalanced tourism with an “acceptance offensive,” aiming to convince the locals of the advantages that tourism brings and to prevent frustration with tourists.

Additionally, she plans to provide regional decision-makers with a “toolbox” of solutions for addressing emerging imbalances in tourism. Moreover, a funding call is planned to support affected regions in developing concepts for their challenges. The goal is to achieve a balanced tourism in all regions. 

READ NEXT: 6 great alternatives to Austria’s overcrowded tourists hotspots

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