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 The Von Trapp Villa, SalzburgAustria cashes in on Euro-2008
The European Football Championships are less than a month away. But one of the tournament’s co-hosts, Austria, says the economic benefits are already being felt.
This summer, football fans across Europe and the world will be focusing on Switzerland and Austria as they co-host Euro-2008. Austrian businesses are making every effort to take advantage of the wave of interest in their country.
Preliminary estimates suggest that Euro-2008 will boost Austria’s economy by $US 492 million or 0.15% of the country’s annual GDP, with construction, tourism and service sectors the main beneficiaries.
In the hospitality industry alone, the championship will bring around 830,000 extra hotel nights, which will mean around 10,000 new jobs.
Long-lasting infrastructure benefits are also to be seen, like the underground railway network extension, not to mention the dozens of newly-opened food outlets.
However, with about a month to go, a widely publicised criminal case brought Austria into the media spotlight for all the wrong reasons. A 73-year-old Austrian confessed to holding his own daughter prisoner for almost 24 years and fathering seven children with her.
Austrians hope some of the visiting football fans will stay in their country after the tournament to taste its other attractions. They would also like the world to remember another Austrian family with seven siblings – the von Trapps.
They were made famous by The Sound of Music – one of the best-known musicals of all time. In 1965 it was made into a hit movie, starring Julie Andrews. The musical tells the story of a woman who marries a widower with seven children, who then teaches them music.
The former home of the von Trapp family still stands on the outskirts of Salzburg. This summer the Villa von Trapp will be refashioned into a hotel and made open to the public along with the surrounding park.
Economist Christian Helmenstein says the idea is to attract families to Austria, not just male football fans.
“Many families come with father and son watching the games but mother visits museums. Some people also stay on after,” Helmenstein said.
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