Tourism is more than travel Vision – Mission – Vision of the future 2030

“Linz Tourismus is making tourism a sustainable force for a liveable future. Curious and open to new ideas, we work together with residents and guests to create a better way of living – for a Linz that surprises and inspires. Expect the Unexpected.”

Tourism is more than travel – and more than just an industry. It has both positive and negative impacts on the planet and its human population. For that reason alone, tourism must deliver value beyond overnight gures – and must share in social, cultural and ecological responsibility. We recognise that global tourism is part of the climate problem – but we also believe that it can be part of the solution in the future.

This requires a systemic understanding of tourism. Only by working together with many other stakeholders – such as local residents, businesses and institutions – can tourism make a meaningful contribution to the sustainable development of destinations. To this end, we have developed the Ecosystem:Destination:Linz. It represents a holistic vision in which people who live, work and study in Linz, together with guests from all over the world, help to build a future shaped by cooperation and sustainability. This ecosystem aspires to one overarching goal: a better life for all.

Our fuel on the path to that future is curiosity. Linz is not a typical tourist hotspot, but a real city with character and contrast. It offers subtle treasures and lesser-known features waiting to be discovered. Linz stands out through its distinctive qualities, technological and cultural innovations, as well as fascinating connections between the past and the future. Rather than relying solely on its past, our city looks ahead. It condently shows its industrial side and represents a modern Austria.

Forward-thinking action and transformative energy are the city’s trademark. This helps us develop compelling ideas, solutions and offerings within the Ecosystem:Destination:Linz and awaken people’s curiosity to discover Linz. All in the spirit of: "Expect the Unexpected." #takearisk #visitlinz

Linz is a place of successful transformation. People who live, work and study here – as well as those visiting – should be able to sense that Linz is driven by a deep curiosity for new solutions in many areas of life, and that it remains open and accessible to both residents and guests without distinction.

Linz is more than a short or long term place to stay. It is not a city that transforms its centre into a pleasing illusion simply to attract as many tourists as possible and make a quick profit. Linz Tourismus sees it as its mission to make the city’s sustainable future tangible and perceptible – both during the journey to Linz and in everyday life within it.

We are still far from reaching this goal. Our long-term future vision for 2040 serves as our reference point and our north star. The goals, areas of action and measures set out in the Destination Strategy 2030 provide us with the compass to navigate our path.

This enables us to create a sustainable and liveable destination that inspires interest in the future and encourages people to adopt a more sustainable way of life. We are making Linz a learning hub for tomorrow – and a source of inspiration that motivates people to become the best version of themselves and to take responsibility for the world as a whole.

In doing so, Linz becomes a model for the sustainable transformation of destinations.

There are a thousand – or more – ways to shape the image of a future that lies ahead of us by 15 years, as in our case. At rst glance, 15 years may seem like a manageable, if not predictable, period of time. And yet, as we begin shaping this timeframe within the ecosystem for the destination of Linz, we look back on 15 years during which developments like the smartphone have brought about a transformation of extraordinary depth. We can only begin to imagine what transformations might await us over the next fteen years.

We approach this creatively – and, we hope, in an entertaining and inspiring way – through an excerpt from a fictional diary dated 2040.

Its author is imagined to be the mayor of the City of Linz, while the diary itself is presented as an artefact that has reached our present day in a bright yellow time capsule.

There is no such thing as one single, predetermined future. Instead, the future also takes shape under the influence of our present visions of what lies ahead. This insight prompted us to develop a future vision that is both optimistic and as realistic as possible – with the aim of inspiring collaborative efforts to shape a positive future for the destination of Linz, even if the outcome may ultimately turn out differently.

By actively engaging with positive scenarios, the future begins to shed its dystopian overtones and the weight it so often carries. Despite the major global challenges, it then seems to be a little easier to shape. That is why we want to encourage a mindset of creative lightness and optimism when thinking about possible futures – and, in doing so, to influence their course. Studies show that people dislike uncertainty – so much so that they often prefer an unpleasant certainty to an uncertain outcome with the potential to be positive. Only by imagining different possible futures are we able to deal with uncertainty in a more constructive way.

We begin to recognise possible courses of action, identify key levers for change and rediscover a more hopeful attitude towards the future.

We see the destination of Linz as an experimental arena for positive futures. With that in mind, we want to spark inspiration and curiosity about what lies ahead – and actively work together to develop the city into a place people long to be. This involves ourselves – Linz Tourismus – as well as everyone involved in the destination of Linz and beyond – if we may be so bold – the rest of the world.

We are confident that reading our future vision “4020 in 2040” will inspire you as well – and we look forward to receiving your feedback at zukunft@linztourismus.at.