Together with the City of Vienna and the cooperation partners, the DIF organizers create 14 to 16 times the added value in the region with their investment
Vienna (OTS/SPW) – The Vienna Danube Island Festival has been a success story with enormous appeal for over 40 years – socially with free entry, low-threshold access and respectful cooperation, as well as culturally as one of the largest supporters of the local music and events industry. Now, as part of a study on indirect profitability, the economic added value for Vienna was also determined based on the previous Danube Island Festival in 2023. The #dif23 achieved sales in the region of around 40 million euros and a return on investment for two to three subsequent years of 86 to 99 million euros. That’s 14 to 16 times the budget used.
“The Danube Island Festival is not only a Viennese institution, but also a strong economic stimulus for the region. This study on detour profitability makes this clear once again.”
so Barbara Novak, organizer and state party secretary of the SPÖ Vienna. “As an event that is around a third funded by the city, we bear a corresponding responsibility. We do justice to this with transparency and ongoing evaluations such as the current study. In doing so, we show that the budget used is not only used appropriately, but also creates great added value for Vienna.”
Detour profitability up to 99 million euros
The indirect profitability of the Danube Island Festival 2023 was carried out in the form of an input-output analysis Dr. Dieter Scharitzer, assistant professor at WU Vienna and managing director of the research company FORGES Scharitzer, Carried out on behalf of Pro Event Team für Wien GmbH. This makes it possible to calculate the economic effects of short-term increased spending in a region, such as those caused by an event such as the Danube Island Festival.
“Taking into account primary effects such as organization, stage and infrastructure construction, gastronomy and visitor spending, we have calculated an amount of approximately 40 million euros that the Danube Island Festival 2023 will generate in direct added value with its three festival days.”
so Dr. Scharitzer. “If one also takes into account so-called secondary effects, which arise, for example, from reinvestments by the commissioned companies, the indirect profitability for two subsequent years can be estimated at around 86 million euros and for three subsequent years at 99 million euros.”
Economically sensible investment in Vienna
The budget of the Vienna Danube Island Festival 2023 was around 6 million euros. About a third of these were funded by the City of Vienna. This results in a self-funding ratio of around 66 percent – a proportion that stands up to any comparison. “The total budget invested by the organizers generates almost seven times the turnover and a detour profitability that, depending on the period of observation, generates 14 to 16 times the turnover, reinvestments and thus added value in the region over two or three subsequent years.”
emphasized Dr. Scharitzer.
Strong Viennese brand: 97% awareness, excellent image and high advertising values
The three-day music festival and the brand “Donauinselfest” are firmly anchored in the minds of the people of Vienna and the surrounding catchment area. As part of the annual follow-up survey for the Danube Island Festival 2023, 97% of respondents from Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland said they knew the Danube Island Festival! And all of this with very high approval and satisfaction ratings among visitors: 91% liked the Danube Island Festival 2023 (very) much, four out of five respondents want to visit it again and 59% would recommend the event to friends and acquaintances.
In addition, the Danube Island Festival has been accompanied for many years with a comprehensive media response analysis, which makes the communicative value of the major event tangible. In 2023, this resulted in a “best overall advertising value” of around 140 million euros. “Together with very strong awareness, image and advertising values, the Donauinselfest is one of the strongest Viennese brands. The results in the anniversary year were actually outstanding and brought the greatest advertising impact since the analysis began 24 years ago. Nevertheless: The advertising value of the Danube Island Festival is always very high and a convincing argument for the many sponsors – especially our presenting partners – who make the event of this magnitude possible. Therefore, I would like to thank them very much at this point.”
so Matthias Friedrich, Managing Director of the Pro Event Team for Vienna and project manager of the Danube Island Festival.
The presenting partners of the Donauinselfest 2024 have already been determined and are: Wien Energie, UniCredit Bank Austria, OBI, Wiener Städtische Versicherung, Österreichische Lotterien and Wien Holding.
Social and cultural impulses come first
“Despite all the economic data, the core values of the Danube Island Festival must not be pushed into the background: free, low-threshold and barrier-free access enables everyone in our society to take part. Every year on Vienna’s Danube Island we show how social cohesion and respectful coexistence work – it’s not for nothing that it is one of the most peaceful major events of all. We promote equality and fair pay on and behind the stages and, last but not least, our wonderful and diverse music landscape with many young talents. This is combined with a comprehensive range of advice and leisure activities during the day. There is something for everyone: the Vienna Danube Island Festival is there for everyone!”
closes Barbara Novak.
The 41st Danube Island Festival will take place this year from June 21st to 23rd under the motto “My heart beats the island”.
The Danube Island Festival
The Vienna Danube Island Festival is the largest open-air festival in Europe with free admission. For over 40 years, visitors to the Danube Island have been offered a top-class music, action and fun program as well as a comprehensive range of information and services. The festival has always stood for social cohesion, an affordable and modern Vienna and respectful interaction with one another. www.donauinselfest.at
follow us on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok! #dif24 #myheartbeatsisland
The presenting partners of the Donauinselfest 2024 are: Wien Energie, UniCredit Bank Austria, OBI, Wiener Städtische Versicherung, Austrian Lotteries and Wien Holding.
Images can be found at www.flickr.com/photos/donauinselfest/albums
Questions & Contact:
Ecker & Partner public relations
Nicole Ustupska, Nele Renzenbrink & Alexandra Ebner
Tel.: +43 1 59932-22/26/50
presse@donauinselfest.at