Economic Engine Austria Center Vienna: Record Year 2025 Generates EUR 445 Million for Austria

Vienna consistently maintains its position at the forefront of global meeting destinations, and the Austria Center Vienna is a key driver of this development. Following the scheduled modernisation of exhibition Level -2 in 2024, the venue was once again fully operational with maximum capacity in 2025. Consequently, international demand surged rapidly.

‘We are very proud of this extraordinary result,’ explains Dr Susanne Baumann-Söllner, Spokesperson of the Management Board and Board Member for Congress Management of the Austria Center Vienna. ‘The figures impressively demonstrate that, thanks to the modernisation, we are competing in the absolute top tier internationally. The fact that one in three international congress delegates in Vienna now visits our venue proves that we are hitting the exact nerve of global event organisers with our modern, digitalised infrastructure and our clear focus on sustainability. Absolute premium quality and environmental responsibility go hand in hand here.’

The 2025 Event Year: Full Capacity and Strong Demand

Following the scheduled completion of the modernisation works, the Austria Center Vienna operated at full capacity in 2025 for the first time. The renewed building infrastructure – including a fully digitalised building management system and new immersive event technology – forms the foundation for more efficient operations and an expanded range of events.

‘The modernisation was not an end in itself, but a targeted investment in operational efficiency and energy performance,’ explains Dr Michael Rotter, Board Member for Building and Property Management. ‘In 2025, we were able to leverage this investment to its full extent for the first time.’

Event revenues (including partner commissions) rose to a new record level of EUR 25.9 million – a token increase of around 68 per cent compared to the previous year (EUR 15.4 million). With a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 75, the Austria Center Vienna ranks among the international elite and is positioned as one of the highest-performing conference centres worldwide. This outstanding picture is further reinforced by an excellent public perception, evidenced by a Google rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars based on more than 10,000 reviews.

The line-up reflects the vast scope and versatile capabilities of the venue, which proved itself as a leading global platform in two core segments in 2025:

• Excellence in scientific congresses: Alongside established flagship events such as the ECR (European Congress of Radiology) and the EGU (European Geosciences Union General Assembly), the ESA Living Planet Symposium and the ERA Congress were among the defining events of the year. These internationally significant large-scale congresses are distinguished by sustainable legacy projects that deliver long-term impacts well beyond the duration of the event itself.
• Strong momentum in the corporate sector: In the high-calibre corporate segment, events hosted by global industry leaders such as PwC or the HPE Tech Jam set new benchmarks for strategic exchange, experiential design and digital immersive environments.

EcoAustria Study: EUR 445 Million GDP Impact for the Location

The concrete significance of these events for the country is proven by a recent study conducted by the economic research institute EcoAustria (published April 2026). The total economic effects of the ACV’s operations have more than doubled since 2012 (when they stood at EUR 170 million), even when adjusted for inflation.

An overview of the input-output analysis results:

• EUR 445 million GDP impact in Austria (representing around 0.1 per cent of the total Austrian GDP in 2025).
• EUR 398 million gross value added domestically (with an additional EUR 294 million generated abroad).
• 3,950 full-time jobs were secured or newly created.
• EUR 180 million flowed back to the public sector in the form of taxes and duties.

The domestic tourism and leisure industry benefits particularly strongly: hospitality and gastronomy alone account for 21.8 per cent of the total value-added impact. Further primary beneficiaries include retail, business services and the creative industries.

‘The figures from the EcoAustria study substantiate what we experience in our daily operations: the Austria Center Vienna is a major economic factor and injects vital value-added momentum across the whole of Austria. Every euro spent at our venue multiplies back into domestic businesses – from hospitality and retail to scientific networks,’ explains Susanne Baumann-Söllner. This supporting role is also reflected in the official Vienna Meeting Industry Report, which identifies the ACV as Vienna’s most frequently used conference centre for international congresses.

Green Conference Centre: Record for Sustainable Events

Since 2014, the Austria Center Vienna has positioned itself as Austria’s first certified Green Conference Centre. A new historic milestone confirms this pioneering role: in 2025, a record 20 events were successfully certified as a Green Meeting or Green Event.

In addition to progress in solar energy, the venue has been running a successful circular economy project since 2021: in cooperation with Wien Energie, waste heat from the Austria Center Vienna’s cooling plant is fed directly into the Viennese district heating network. The system has the capacity to supply the equivalent of around 2,000 households with sustainable warmth.

‘For us, sustainability is not an add-on, but is firmly embedded in our infrastructure management – and represents a long-term strategic decision. With the new photovoltaic system and solutions such as waste heat recovery, we are establishing the technical foundation to systematically reduce our energy consumption, thereby strengthening both our environmental footprint and our competitiveness as an event venue,’ emphasises Dr Michael Rotter.