Austria and Switzerland this year are hosting Euro 2008 - one of the biggest sporting events of Europe. Our Editor Subhash Motwani caught up with Theresa and Stefan to find out how the Tirol region is geared up for Euro 2008 and what all the region has to offer for travellers to the tourist capital of Austria and its environ.

Theresa, can you tell me as to what are the places one can visit in Tirol.
The 2 main attractions are of course Innsbruck - our capital and Swarovski - the Crystal World which is 20 kilometres from Innsbruck Then we have very scenic rural areas like St. Anton and Arlberg which are small villages that lie in the mountains. Also Seefeld and other places are really worth a visit. Seefeld is famous for its casino and it's a nice small town centre . There is also Kitsbühel - a high society hot spot and VIP place.

How many Indians have been coming into Tirol region and what are your plans for this year?
India is one of our most important overseas markets. In 2007 we had a total of 43000 overnight stays from India and Tirol was the most visited region in Austria. We had an increase over the last 3 years of an average of 80% and as well as conducting workshops in Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi. We are cooperating with the Austrian National Tourist Board for doing press trips . We are also organizing study tours for Travel Agents. We have newsletters that we send across twice a year informing people of the current happenings in Tirol. We are also cooperating very strongly with Munich International Airport to promote it as our gateway to Tirol and we would co-operate with them as and when new flights are launched out of India as Munich is a 90 minute drive from the Tirol region.

Are you planning to also liaise with the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) to have a package covering Tirol with a visit to Germany?
We have planned packages not with GNTB but with Bavaria and the city of Munich. We have a package called the “Jewels of Romantic Europe”. It is a co-operation with Munich International Airport, Munich city and some Bavarian partners like Neuschwanstein Castle, Zugsptize Bahn and then Tirol, Innsbruck and Swarovski. We have a round trip called Jewels of Romantic Europe and it is possible to book with agents who are specializing in this region.

A lot of groups from India come to Innsbruck. How do you plan to attract the individual travellers?
We have created some programmes. For example, in Seefeld we have a jam cooking session. Visitors have a horse carriage ride to a small hut and then they try to cook a typical Tyrolean marmalade. We are also promoting certain hotels for the honeymoon market as well. There are skiing areas for the FIT sector especially St.Anton which is known as the cradle for Alpine skiing with lots of tracks and very modern lift. Seefeld is another region not only for cross country skiing but also for soft winter sports like snow hiking. We also have snow climbing and ice climbing. We have five glaciers in the Tirol area and in summer they can go up the glaciers and have a feel of the snow. Then there are caves as well and in Seefeld we also have the husky dog safaris. Although the ideal time for skiing is around end-December with the high season during Christmas and New Year. The skiing season continues until February and March and when it is sunny one can also go sun skiing which is getting very popular as well. The FIT clients also can do a combination of Zurich-Tirol and Munich as both Zurich on the Swiss side and Munich on the German side are on either side of the Tirol region.

What are the preparations for Euro 2008 to be held partially in Austria?
We are a host city and we have 3 games in Innsbruck. We are at a strategic location between Switzerland and the rest of Austria and very ideally located. We are offering incentive packages for Euro 2008. We will also have VIP public viewing areas for people who are unable to get tickets and into the stadium but want to be part of the experience of the Euro 2008 event.

How long have you been with Tirol and what is your overall experience?
I am quite new with the Tirol tourist board. I started in October 2007 and I am responsible for marketing and sales for all overseas markets as well. I want to focus on India in 2008 and try to visit India more than once.

TIROL in a NUTSHELL:

Tirol is very famous for its scenic landscape and snow-capped mountains and crystal clear lakes.
Austria is a small country with about 8 million inhabitants but when it comes to tourism figures it is quite big. In 2007, Austria had a total of 120 million overnight stays out of which 43 million were in Tirol, so over 1/3rd of the total number of overnight stays in Austria have been in the Tirol region. This figure gives you an insight of the popularity of the Tirol area and its holiday destinations.

Cine Tirol, an initiative by the Provinicial Tirolean Government and the Tirol Tourist Board promotes the Tirol region internationally as the location in the heart of the Alps. Over 150 film projects from Austria and abroad have been brought to Tirol ranging from cinema to documentary and promotional films as well as television films and series. This comprises of over 60 Indian film productions as in the Indian concept, the fascinating Tirolean mountain corresponds with “paradise”; it stands for beauty, purity and good health. The latest cine shoot has been the to be released Bollywood movie Yuvraaj starring Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif and Anil Kapoor. Tirol borders Germany, Italy and Switzerland and provides an insight into Central European life with a unique blend of nature and culture. The Imperial Alps program of the Tirol Tourist Board features the most favourite and picturesque spots for the Indians and is called Tirollywood ( Tirol+Bollywood/Hollywood) as it has some of the most stunning locations for film shoots. From mountain peaks to picturesque valleys, from rugged rocks and green pastures to sparkling mountain lakes and breathtaking glaciers, the region offers the right blend for international film production companies right in the Heart of the Alps.

One of the must visit sights of Tirol region is the Swarovski Crystal Worlds and our Editor caught up with Stefan Isser, Marketing Director of Swarovski Tourism Services to find out the new happenings at the Crystal Worlds.

Stefan, tell me what are the new initiatives at Swarovski and what is the theme for 2008?
Last year was very exciting as there was a big extension going on at the Swarovski Crystal World. We changed 7 out of the 13 wonder chambers with new world known artists like Jim Whiting, Brian Eno and we made a big atelier for children where we worked together with artists and children. Furthermore, we doubled the size of our restaurant and we also have a new room for events and concerts so it was really a very substantial extension. This year we have India as a theme and next year it will be Brazil.

Was there a particular reason to choose India as a theme for 2008 and what is the estimated response expected this year in terms of numbers?
India is a common topic all over the world. India is booming everywhere and has such a fascinating culture. We are very happy to cooperate with some very well known Indian artists who also exhibited at the Biennale in Venice. We had some wonderful exhibitions with them. We also have some parties going on with a well known DJ from India and overall the feed back from our customers is outstanding. India does fascinate a lot of people. We were pleasantly surprised by the response especially from Indian journalists who travelled to Innsbruck to see how India was presented at Swarovski Crystal World. The response was very positive as we took care to ensure that we combined the right topic with people who know India really well. Last year we had 25000 visitors from India and this year we expect the number to go up by 25% to 32000, which would be 5% of the total visitors that Swarovski gets every year. Last year we had 650000 visitors and Swarovski was the second most visited sightseeing attraction in Austria and this year we expect the numbers to be higher and exceed 700000. I am sure the Euro
Championships will also have an impact this year as we expect many visitors around this period. When Daniel Swarovski first introduced sparkle to the crystal in the late nineteenth century, he also shone a ray of timeless inspiration on the realms of fashion, art, culture and science. Over a century later, crystals still evoke feelings of allure and mystique; and inevitably too, the name of Swarovski.

Swarovski is the luxury brand name for the range of precision-cut lead crystal glass items produced by companies owned by Swarovski AG of Austria. The Swarovski Crystal range includes crystal sculptures, jewellery, couture and home decor. They also offer beads and rhinestones, encouraging other manufacturers, artists and consumers to create their own designs. All sculptures are marked with a logo. The original Swarovski logo was an edelweiss flower, but was replaced with the current swan logo in 1988. As multifaceted as their impeccable crystals, the Swarovski Group also includes Tyrolit (makers of abrasive and cutting tools); Swareflex (reflective and luminous road markings); Signity (synthetic gemstones); and Swarovski Optik (optical instruments).

A fitting monument to the splendour and brilliance of their crystals is Swarovski's Kristallwelten (Crystal Worlds) in the town of Wattens in the Austrian Tyrol. Originally opened in 1995 to celebrate Swarovski's centenary, the crystal labyrinth is a wonderland of light and colour having awed the senses of no less than seven million visitors from around the world. Under the imitable creative touch of multimedia artist and international impresario Andre Heller, who developed the original Crystal Worlds concept, the treasure trove has once again been expanded. The latest additions to the Chamber of Wonder follow the first expansion of magnificent installations in 2003, which proved to be hugely popular with international visitors. The Crystal Worlds now offer more than 4000 square meters of a spectacular crystalline sanctuary designed to awe and delight all those who experience it. Swarovski revisits their crystal fairy tale with the motto “The Art of Crystal Fiction”.

The Crystal Worlds contain magnificent treasures. These crystalline delights are guarded by the water-spouting head of an alpine Giant. After passing the watchful gaze of the Giant at the entrance, children and parents discover the sparkling treasures in the underground exhibition.

Deep down in the depths of the Giant, a fantastic metamorphosis has taken place. Among the new Chambers of Wonder, which were reopened to visitors on Dec. 1, 2007, are Jim Whiting's Mechanical Theatre, a rollicking and rattling collection of dreams that could best be described as a surreal fashion show; an interactive Ice Passage and the underwater world of Poseidon's Puzzle, which change according to the movement of the visitor guaranteeing new insights with every step; a separate kingdom for opera diva Jessye Norman; an exhibition for the virtual paintings of the British artist Brian Eno; the crystal staging of Reflections, which presents the crystal in all of its facets adding to the kaleidoscopic experience; and Timeless Swarovski where films and exhibits documenting the company tradition and history serve as a captivating transition onto the Crystal Stage where visitors are given the opportunity to purchase Swarovski items.

Life is breathed into the subterranean chambers of the Crystal Worlds through cultural events staged throughout the year. Special exhibitions such as the three-year exhibition cycles of “Temporary Enchantment” by Harald Szeemann, who completed his work in 2006 on the subject “Boundless Knowledge” are included in the programme, as well as concerts, readings and the Krystalline Werkstatte (Crystalline Workshop) for children where very young designers can realize their creative fantasies in crystal.

The concert series of Music in the Giant remains a special favourite. The increasing number of visitors led to a decision in 2004 to stage the individual programmes in the entrance hall. These will now integrated into a main performance concept. Chamber music evenings with renowned soloists and ensembles will take place at regular intervals, either in the cosy atmosphere of the blue entrance hall or in their own concert area due for completion in May 2008.

The park that surrounds the Crystal Worlds is also under the rule of the Giant. The area was designed by Andre Heller and features sculptures and wondrous gardens by renowned artists such as Bruno, Gironcoli, Alois Schild, Franz West and Heidrun Brandt-Perakis. In the park Heller has created a green labyrinth in the form of an inviting hand. There is also a delightful game of intrigue and sound created by the “Piano of Nature”, an installation by the Austrian artist Alois Schild.

As the Crystal Worlds continue to evolve, so does the park. The park also reflects any occasion when a foreign country is a guest of the Giant. With India the subject of the 2008 winter festival, a path of bells draws visitors into the magical world with its fine sounds.

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