Our new National Park Authority

September 13th 2009 – the launch of the new Hohe Tauern National Park Regional Authority.

Political leaders from Kärnten, Osttirol and Salzburg joined together to launch the new combined Hohe Tauern National Park Region incorporating the former National Park Holiday Region, The National Park Region, Kärnten, the Osttirol Tourist Authority and the Grossglockner High Alpine Road. The new Authority will work across regional boundaries to promote the area as the ‘Yellowstone Park’ of Europe, advertising the largest protected area in the alps and Austria’s biggest National Park to a worldwide audience and establishing the double aim of nature protection and accessibility.

The invited audience of local dignitaries, National Park employees and accommodation owners were told that this new co-operation was something ’the whole of Austria should take notice of’. At a time of falling tourist numbers generally, the Grossglocknerstrasse has seen a rise in visitor numbers of between 7% & 8 % this year, due, it is believed, to its international status and excellent reputation. The new Authority aims to raise awareness internationally of the whole of the National Park area by creating a new ‘Hohe Tauern’ brand. To achieve this the Authority has identified 5 main areas that typify the National Park – driving the Großglockner, winter sports, waterfalls, park ranger activities and life on the alms – and has made a short introductory film which it is releasing to highlight these. In so doing the Authority hopes to establish mental pictures for tourists that they can associate with the area – much as a picture of the Campanile reminds people of Venice, or the picture of the Yellowstone Geyser immediately identifies that particular area of the world in people’s minds.

Certainly the speakers at today’s event came across as enthusiastic and committed to this new joint venture. It remains to be seen whether the methods used to promote the new Region will reach the international audience it needs to. Hopefully the introductory film will soon be available to download – a first but important step – and if so, we too will be adding it to our website! Watch out too for a TV programme on Dec 8^th called ‘Nutzung & Schönheit – Hohe Tauern National Park’ – a documentary on what the National Park has to offer to visitors and to those who live there.