Austria: the next big thing for skiers and property buyers?

Austria is stepping up to compete with France and Switzerland as the next big thing in the skiing world.

Over the last 15 years, €6 billion has been spent to give Austrian resorts the most updated lift infrastructure and resort amenities in the industry and to make facilities ever more luxurious. 

Examples include 8-seater chairlifts with heated seats, snow machines on over half of Austrian pistes and attractions such as night-skiing and child-friendly themed slopes.

Annual British tourist visits are growing by 4 per cent from the UK, year on year, to Innsbruck airport, 35 minutes away from Kuhtai. The resort, which will be familiar to viewers of Channel 4 game show The Jump, is known for its height (2,020 metres), offering some of the best snow conditions from December until spring. It was also voted best value ski destination in Europe by ADAC.

Innsbruck Airport is served by regular direct flights from Gatwick Airport (BA and EasyJet), somethign that has helped to boost its - and Austria's - profile among British skiers. This is also helping to drive interest in the holiday home market.

Branson Atterbury, Marketing Director of Kristall Spaces, comments: "We have seen a 22 per cent increase in Brits enquiring about property in Austria this year driven by reasonable prices and the strong Euro / Pound exchange rate, which means buyers are now able to save up to £20,000 when purchasing a property priced at €400,000."

In response to the interest, Kristall Spaces has now launched two new apartment schemes in Kuhtai and St Anton. The former development offers 1 to 3-bedroom apartments with prices starting at €213,500, while the latter includes a fully managed rental programme from the ski holiday specialist Mark Warner.

Mark Chitty, Founder and Chief Executive of the Mark Warner Group, adds: "Austria is firmly establishing itself as a key destination for British skiers who are attracted by the rich cultural heritage, long ski seasons, regular flights from the UK and very attractive real estate prices. The Austrian Government is investing heavily in the local tourism industry, which contributes more than eight per cent of the annual GDP. These investments in the local infrastructure and overall lifestyle aspects of Austria's resorts continue to boost Austria's profile across the UK."