4. Austria
Size of US State of
Maine
8 European Neighbors
9 Federal States
Population 8.5 Mio
Currency: Euro
Official Language:
German
Quick Facts
Germany
Size of US State of
Montana
9 European Neighbors
16 Federal States
Population 81 Mio
Currency: Euro
Official Language:
German
Switzerland
App. twice the size of the
US State of New Jersey
5 European Neighbors
26 Cantons
Population 8 Mio
Currency: Swiss Franc
Official Languages:
German, French, Italian &
Romansh
English widely spoken in all three countries
5. Best Times to Travel
Summer Season
May – September
Special Seasons
Oct (Wine Harvest)
Nov – Dec (Christmas Markets)
Jan - Feb (Viennese Ball Season)
March (Easter Celebrations)
Winter Season
December - April
6. How to Get to the Alps
Austrian Airlines to Vienna:
From Washington D.C. (IAD)
From New York (JFK)
From Chicago (ORD)
From Toronto (YYZ)
Swiss International Airlines to Zurich:
From New York (JFK) (and to Geneva)
From Newark (EWR)
From Boston (BOS)
From Chicago (ORD)
From Los Angeles (LAX)
From Miami (MIA)
From San Francisco (SFO)
From Montreal (YUL)
Lufthansa to Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Munich:
45,000 seats per week from US to Germany
From Boston (BOS) From San Fran (SFO)
From Charlotte (CLT) From Washington (IAD)
From Chicago (ORD) From Toronto (YYZ)
From Dallas (DFW) From Montreal (YUL)
From Denver (DEN) From Vancouver (YVR)
From Detroit (DTW)
From Houston (IAH)
From Los Angeles (LAX)
From Miami (MIA)
From New York (JFK, EWR)
From Orlando (MCO)
From Philadelphia (PHL)
From Seattle (SEA)
US Airways, Delta, United and AA also offer service to the Alps.
10. Culture Tips
Sustainable Architecture
Local timber & energy-efficient
Bregenzerwald / Vorarlberg
www.bergenzerwald.at
Dirndl Couture
From folk wear to haute couture
Innsbruck, Salzburg, Salzkammergut, Vienna
www.austria.info/dirndl
Salzburg Festival
One of the world’s music highlights
Salzburg City
www.salzburgerfestspiele.at/summer
11. King Ludwig II’s Castles
Neuschwanstein Castle
Hohenschwangau Castle
Linderhof Palace
www.schloesser.bayern.de
Museums
Lenbachhaus Munich
State Gallery Stuttgart
Museum of Violin Making Mittenwald
Car Experience
BMW World, Munich
Mercedes Museum, Stuttgart
Porsche Museum, Stuttgart
www.germany.travel (search “cars”)
Culture Tips
12. Old City Stein am Rhein
Medieval old towns famous for its
magnificent murals.
Schaffhausen Region
www.schaffhauserland.ch
Therme Vals
Wellness and famous architecture
Graubunden region
www.therme-vals.ch
Open Air Museum Ballenberg
About 100 residential and agricultural
buildings from all over Switzerland
Bernese Oberland
www.ballenberg.ch
Culture Tips
13. Natural Wonders
National Park Hohe Tauern
Alps’ largest Nature Reserve
Mittersill, Salzburg Region
www.nationalpark.at/en
Krimml Waterfalls
Europe’s tallest waterfalls (1250ft), 3 tiers
Krimml, Salzburg Region
www.wasserfaelle-krimml.at
Hallstatt Village
Ancient salt mining village (7,000 BC),
nestled along lake and mountain
Hallstatt, Upper Austria Region
www.hallstatt.net
14. Natural Wonders
Zugspitze
Germany’s highest peak (10,000 ft.)
Striking panoramas over the Alps and glacier
www.zugspitze.de
Schellenberg Ice Cave
Germany’s only developed ice cave, formed
by thousands of years of rain and snowmelt
Near Berchtesgaden, 1.5 hours southwest of
Munich
www.berchtesgadener-land.info
Black Forest
Dense forests and magnificent mountain
peaks, mysterious glacial lakes
Delicious cakes and top-notch culinary
experiences
www.blackforest-tourism.com
15. Natural Wonders
Aletsch Glacier
Europe’s largest glacier & UNESCO World
Heritage Site
Bernese Oberland
www.jungfraualetsch.ch/en/world-heritage.html
National Park
Impressive piece of Alpine landscape,
with a wealth of flora and fauna.
Engadin
www.nationalpark.ch
Lavaux Vineyard Terraces
The largest contiguous vineyard region &
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Lake Geneva Region
www.lavaux-unesco.ch/en
16. Culinary Tips
Via Culinaria
7 culinary paths, individual itinerary
Salzburg Region
www.via-culinaria.com
Stanz – Distilling Village
Top-quality Schnapps made in a quaint village
Village of Stanz / Tirol
www.tirolwest.at/xxl/en/stanz
5* Arlberg Hospiz
Brotherhood of St. Christoph 1386, wine
cellar started 620 years ago
St.Christoph in the Arlberg/Tirol
www.arlberghospiz.at
17. Culinary Tips
Baiersbronn
Culinary stronghold 1.5 hours south of
Heidelberg: 3 Michelin-star rated restaurants
Guided culinary hiking tours focusing on
food, herbs, beer or schnapps
www.baiersbronn.de
Munich
11 Michelin star rated restaurants
Variety of cuisines including local produce
Chefs transform traditional food to gourmet
experiences
www.muenchen.de
Seehotel Überfahrt
1 hour south of Munich at Lake Tegernsee
2 Michelin stars & cooking classes in English
www.seehotel-ueberfahrt.com
18. Culinary Tips
Kornhauskeller Bern
Bernese High Baroque style restaurant
Bern city
www.myswitzerland.com/en/historic-
kornhauskeller-bern.html
La Maison du Gruyères
delicious and versatile cheese from western
Switzerland
Fribourg Region
www.lamaisondugruyere.ch
Grotto Pozzasc
Taste the typical polenta in that idyllic Ticino inn
Ticino Region
www.myswitzerland.com/en/grotto-pozzasc.html
19. Luxury Hotels
5*S Interalpen-Hotel Tyrol
Seefeld (30 min to Innsbruck)
Leading Hotel of the World
www.interalpen-tyrol.com
5* Schloss Fuschl Resort & Spa
Hof bei Salzburg (15 min to Salzburg)
Luxury Collection
www.schlossfuschlsalzburg.com
5* Grand Tirolia Ski & Spa Resort Kitzbühel
Kitzbühel (1hr to Innsbruck, 1.5hrs to
Salzburg)
Small Luxury Hotel of the World
www.grand-tirolia.com
20. Luxury Hotels
Munich
11 five-star hotels incl. famous “Bayerischer Hof”
International brands and traditional Bavarian
style accommodation
www.muenchen.de
Reindl’s Partenkirchner Hof
In the heart of Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Authentic Bavarian style paired with luxury
service and facilities
www.reindls.de
South-West Germany
Baden-Baden: 3 five-star hotels Spa Eldorado
and gateway to the Black Forest
Baiersbronn: 3 five-star hotels Culinary Gem
www.tourism-bw.com
21. Luxury Hotels
5* Resort Collina D’Oro
In Lugano
Healing Hotels of the World
www.resortcollinadoro.com
5* Beau Rivage Palace
In Lausanne
Leading Hotels of the World
www.brp.ch
5* Hotel Park Weggis
In Weggis near Lucerne
Relais & Chateau
www.parkweggis.ch
23. New Flight Service Chicago to Vienna
5 flights a week operated with Boeing 767
VO* OS 066; code share: UA6740
New full-flat seats in Business Class
www.austrian.com
Austria
5* Hotel Boom in Vienna
Ritz Carlton Vienna – Opened Fall 2012
Sans Souci – Opened Q1 2013
Palais Hansen Kempinski - Opened Q1 2013
Park Hyatt - Opening 2014
www.vienna.info
Third Friendliest Country in Europe
The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report
2013 by the World Economic Forum
140 countries surveyed
24. Germany
Richard Wagner’s 200th birthday
Germany and Bayreuth celebrate
Bayreuth Festival: Jul 25-Aug 27, 2013
www.bayreuther-festspiele.de
Munich Airport VIP wing
Exclusive VIP car/limousine access
VIP SUITES - individual and conference
Separate security screening, passport control
and customs clearance / VAT refunds
www.munich-airport.de
Germany’s TOP100 App
Rated by 46,000 tourists:
1. Neuschwanstein Castle
2. Europa-Park, Rust
3. Cologne Cathedral
www.germany.travel/top100
25. Switzerland
New openings 4 & 5* Hotels
4* InterContinental Resort & Spa in Davos –
Opening Dec 2013
5* The Alpina Gstaad – Opened Dec 2012
4* Sheraton Zurich Hotel - Opening 2014
New double-deck cable car to Mt Stanserhorn
Lake Lucerne Region
2 cabins and open upper deck
Capacity: 90 persons
www.stanserhorn.ch/en/
Launch of new E-learning Program
For agents based in the US and Canada
In collaboration with Travel Agent Academy
Available August 1st, the Swiss National Day
Gold-level and Platinum-level