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I REGION I EUROPE I© MooonsARCOTEL HOTELS & RESORTSTO LAUNCH MOOONS, A NEWBOUTIQUE HOTEL CONCEPTIN VIENNAThe Arcotel Hotels & Resorts Group is set tomanage a new hotel concept called MOOONS.The first property is a contemporary style,design-minded property offering 170 roomsin the immediate vicinity of Vienna CentralStation (Wien Hauptbahnhof), a popularupcoming area in the Austrian capital, ideal forboth leisure and business travellers.Innsbruck offers freepublic transport to anyguests staying at least twonights from MayThe concept is to offer a stylish boutique-hoteloffering an incredible design at affordableprices. MOOONS is more than just a place tospend the night. Inspiring international cuisine,exclusive events and the central location aimto turn the property into an urban hotspot forguests and locals. A skybar is due to become apopular venue with 360° breathtaking views allover Vienna. A fitness club will also offer greatvistas all across town. The hotel is due to openin spring of this year.© Bwag/WikimediaTyrol capital Innsbruck grabs the initiative to become even moreenvironment-friendly. Any guests staying in the greater Innsbruck regionfor at least two nights will be able to benefit from this offer.From 1 May 2020, visitors to Innsbruck willfeel even more motivated to get on the bus ortrain to explore the Tyrol capital and its region.The new Welcome Card will be automaticallyattributed to any guest staying in Innsbruck forat least two nights. And contrary to similar offersin other cities across Europe, this includes anyguest recorded in town. This means people usingapartment sharing offers such as Airbnb will alsobe able to enjoy the new offer.The 2020 version of the Welcome Card will bevalid for buses and trains operating betweenall villages and towns in the Innsbruck regionand, as of 1 st May 2020, for public transport inInnsbruck city as well.The Welcome Card also includes a long list ofbenefits for visitors of Innsbruck. Card holdersenjoy discounts on entry fees to local swimmingpools and bathing ponds, as well as in guidedhiking programmes. Travel on VVT (VerkehrsbundTirol) buses connecting the surrounding villagesto Innsbruck are also included. Starting in May2020, the coverage area of the Welcome Cardwill expand to also include public transport inthe city centre, covering all routes operatedby the IVB (Innsbrucker Verkehrsbetriebe).The Welcome Card can be obtained from allparticipating partner accommodations. Ifbooking a stay of three or more nights, visitorsreceive the Welcome Card Plus. This alsoprovides free access to select mountain lifts andgondolas.“Only by providing alternatives will we be ableto make using public transport more attractiveand efficient also for our visitors. The launch ofthe new Welcome Card by Innsbruck Tourismusrepresents a milestone in sustainable tourismdevelopment”, said Tyrol Provincial Minister forTransport, Ingrid FelipeHallstatt, AustriaASIAN GUESTS REPRESENTSIX OUT OF TEN TOP-SPENDERS IN AUSTRIAGuests from Asia, especially from China,are more than ever top spenders in Austria.Chinese tourists' spending increased by 7%over the past year, according to an evaluationby the VAT refund company Planet Payment.Among the top ten highest spenders areTaiwanese (3 rd place), South Koreans (5 thplace), Thai (6 th place), Hong Kong residents(9 th place) and Indonesians (10 th place). Whiletourist spending per capita reached on average€525 per purchase in 2019, Chinese travellersspent around €645 per purchase. They arehowever beaten by tourists from Hong Kong,who spent around 1,107 euros.36 ITB BERLIN NEWS 01 • WEDNESDAY 4 TH MARCH 2020www.itb-berlin-news.com
I REGION I EUROPE ITWO MOREUNESCO WORLDHERITAGE SITESFOR PORTUGALThe classification of the Royal Building of Mafraand the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus in Braga bringsto 17 the total of UNESCO World Heritage sitesin Portugal.Malagais European Capitalof Smart Tourism 2020With Gothenburg, Malaga is European Capital of Smart Tourism 2020. Whilethe title might not be such a surprise for Gothenburg, a creative eco-friendlycity in Western Sweden, it sounds more unusual for Malaga, perceived as atypical Spanish sun and beach destination.The Royal Building of Mafra includes the Palace,Basilica, Convent, Garden and Hunting Park(Tapada). Built in the 18th century, it is one ofthe rare examples of a perfect Italian Baroquestyle outside Italy. Among its significantfeatures are the six organs of the Basilica andthe historic Library with its collection of 36,000volumes.The Sanctuary of Bom Jesus in Braga, is anarchitectural and landscape complex thatblends Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassicalstyles. The site evokes a Christian Jerusalem,recreating the sacred mount crowned by theBasilica, which is accessed through a longVia Sacra surrounded by woods. The Basilicaof Bom Jesus is considered one of the mostemblematic important cultural and religiousheritage in the countryHowever, Malaga managed over the last decadeto reinvent itself. It has been incorporating theconcepts of sustainability, innovation and cultureinto their strategic plans for many years. There isa constant exchange between visitors and thegovernment’s tourism services, so that Málagacan do more to meet the needs of visitors.In terms of sustainability, Málaga works in allspheres – it has installed public LED lighting,offers over 20 bike hire stations and createdbike lanes that now add up to over 40km. Thecity has installed smart watering systems forparks and gardens in order to save water and hasintroduced an Air Quality Sectoral Plan to reduceair pollution, monitor pollen levels and improvenoise quality. Málaga has also upgraded streetcleaning equipment and has worked on betterwaste separation in the city centre.In terms of nature, Málaga has much to offer.The city has almost 50 hectares of protectednatural areas, 60 hectares of botanical gardens,more than 400 hectares of green space and 5beaches. Málaga revitalised many of their naturalspaces, such as its wetlands, creating ideal spotsfor bird watching and nature walksThe Braga Bom Jesus Sanctuary staircaseADVERTORIAL© Vladimir-JovanovicNiš, CHARMING CITY ALTERNATIVEBohemian quarter in the city of Niš, SerbiaLooking for an original city break inEurope? Think of Niš, Serbia's thirdlargest city, located 250 km southeastof Belgrade. The city is an architecturalkaleidoscope with its fortress dating backfrom the Ottoman time to monumentsand skyscrapers reflecting Tito era in the1970s, but also lively bohemian quartersin the baroque old town. A specialexperience is the popular Nisville JazzFestival with its joyful crowds.Pristine landscapes such as Sicevo Gorgeand Suva mountain are just around thecorner.Niš is easily accessible from Germanywith flights from Berlin, Dortmund,Frankfurt, Friedrichshafen, Hanover,Karlsruhe, Munich or NurembergITB BERLIN NEWS 01 • WEDNESDAY 4 TH MARCH 2020 37
