Virtual Site-Inspections

Want a quick tour of exceptional MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Exhibitions) locations? Anytime, anywhere and without an appointment – yet with an overview of all important details? If such a feature could help you in your search for a special meeting or event location in Austria, the Austrian National Tourist Office has some really good news for you.

Planning a meeting, convention or event? You know best what your ideal event location needs to have for it to win you over. Being personally convinced and inspired by the size of the rooms, the ambience and the type of seating helps immensely when deciding for or against a location. But you don't have to physically go there anymore to find that all out! With a new innovative solution, the Austrian National Tourist Office lets you take a virtual, three-dimensional tour through extraordinary Austrian meeting venues. Location scouting has never been easier!

As part of the "Virtual Site Inspections" project by the Austrian National Tourist Office, three-dimensional images of selected Austrian locations are photographed and then using special software, are merged together to create a virtual tour. The focus is on small and medium-sized meeting hotels, event venues and special event locations with an exceptional character; they then integrate this 3D tour onto their website. Already realised tours illustrate the wide range of extraordinary MICE locations that Austria as a conference destination has to offer – and provide a wealth of inspiration. Or have you ever contemplated having a conference in the venerable premises of the Austrian National Library or an exuberant corporate celebration on a ship? A list of 3D tours that have already been implemented can be found here.

Virtual assistant for location scouting

The virtual, three-dimensional tour offers you numerous advantages: It is location-independent and possible at any time of the day without an appointment. Since you can then decide quicker whether the location is suitable for your event, the booking process is accelerated – and that has sustainable aspects as well. Because instead of travelling specifically to view the locations on site, now you find out virtually whether the potential conference or event location meets your initial expectations. The immersive impressions make it easier to experience the rooms: The locations also include photos in the 3D tour, which allows for various event situations to be simulated. This creates an even better impression of how individual rooms look and what effect they have with striking decoration, banquet or theatre seating.

Positive feedback from the industry

The feedback from locations that have already integrated their virtual tour on their website is consistently positive: "The 3D tour offers our shipping company the opportunity to present our ships in a particularly detailed and realistic manner. Our customers often have no real idea beforehand what the ships look like inside – it is the perfect advertising tool and a great service, too, especially for customers. Such a virtual tour offers completely new impulses," says Margit Noé, managing partner of Donauschifffahrt Wurm & Noé.

This is how “virtual site inspections” came about.

The meetings industry is one of the sectors hardest hit by the pandemic. So, the Austrian National Tourist Office took advantage of the months-long standstill and developed innovative approaches and creative ideas to revitalise the meetings industry. “The MICE industry was faced with major challenges over the past two years. And so, it was particularly important here, for us to rethink a bit, to reposition and to contemplate about the business of tomorrow, now," says Laura Brunbauer, head of Convention and Platform Development at the Austrian National Tourist Office.

After launching with 19 scanned locations in autumn 2021, the project is now in its second season due to the positive feedback from the industry. Currently, 20 locations are being mapped out to create 3D tours. Kreisbild Fotographen OG, the winners of the Innovation2Company start-up challenge by the Austrian National Tourist Office, are responsible for the implementation. The team was totally convincing with their creative as well as technically sophisticated visualisation solutions.

As a result of the "Virtual Site Inspections" project, the country's national tourism organisation is contributing to fulfilling both the high demands of the digital world as well as the needs of meeting and event planners. Besides that, in presenting its outstanding offers in the digital world it is actively supporting the MICE industry nationwide. The costs of production are borne by the Austrian National Tourist Office.

Be inspired by extraordinary locations in Austria or find exactly what you are looking for:

Memorable ambience: Five venue locations with exceptional flair

Hold a meeting like Sissi once did: Event locations with typical Austrian flair

Hybrid events made easy: Event locations with modern equipment

Easily accessible: Event locations with good public transport connections

Meetings and overnight stays: Stylish event locations with the option of overnight accommodation