September 22, 2026, 7:55 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
What stands out most in your memory after your last vacation? Certainly the experiences, the surroundings, the accommodations–and definitely the people you met during your stay. They often make a vacation truly special. For this year’s TRAVELBOOK Award, we wanted to know which Austrian state is the most hospitable. You decided: The winner is Tyrol!
All nine Austrian states were up for selection. In the large reader vote, Tyrol clearly came out on top. With 25.73 percent of all votes cast in the category, Tyrol earned the title of “Austria’s Most Hospitable State.” The state is particularly popular with German vacationers. With more than 26 million overnight stays, most tourists come from Germany. That’s every second overnight stay in Tyrol. And vacationers surely love not only the beautiful surroundings but also the interactions with the locals.
Vacationers Get Their Money’s Worth
When people think of Austria, they often think of Tyrol. The state boasts more than 500 peaks over 3,000 meters and has numerous well-known ski resorts such as Sölden, Ischgl, and St. Anton. About 80 percent of the state’s area is in the high mountains. Vacationers get their money’s worth in Tyrol both in summer and winter. In winter, they ski or snowboard–in summer, they can hike, mountain bike, or climb. The mountain lakes, such as the beautiful Achensee, are also definitely worth a visit.
Additionally, Tyrol is home to the historic city of Innsbruck and well-known places like Kitzbühel, Kufstein, and Lienz. All these special places and, of course, their residents contributed to Tyrol being awarded the TRAVELBOOK Award as Austria’s most hospitable state.
Methodology for the TRAVELBOOK Award
Again this year, we say: All nominated regions, countries, and others for the TRAVELBOOK Award are already winners, even if they didn’t achieve overall victory. This also applies to all other states.
The TRAVELBOOK editorial team sought help from the community on Facebook and Instagram and consulted experts from the travel industry to create the shortlist. For the first time this year, not only TRAVELBOOK readers but also BILD readers voted. More than 150,000 votes were cast in total to determine the trend travel destinations for 2027.