“The Vienna State Opera is not only a cultural flagship in Austria, but also an economic engine. In total, the opera makes an economic contribution of almost 300 million euros every year, secures 3,700 jobs and generates 79 million euros in taxes and duties. This cultural institution is, so to speak, both a musical and an economic pleasure,” says Walter Ruck, President of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce. For the first time, the interest group of Viennese companies has analyzed and calculated the economic effects caused by the State Opera based on the 2023/24 season.
“This worthwhile study by the Vienna Chamber of Commerce will hopefully receive the attention it deserves from those responsible for cultural policy. What is particularly noteworthy for me is the fact that the state subsidy in the form of the direct fiscal effects of our business goes back to the finance minister almost to the euro. In my opinion, the fact that the additional contributions to the GDP amount to a multiple of the subsidy makes it clear how superficially the discussion about the costs of cultural enterprises is often conducted,” says State Opera Director Bogdan Roščić.
The results in detail
The WK Vienna’s calculations are based on two factors: the operation of the opera as an economic entity with expenses, as well as the expenses of visitors to the State Opera who come to Vienna as tourists. As a business, the State Opera invested around 14 million euros last season and spent a total of 145 million euros. In addition to the investments, this includes personnel costs, the opera employs around 1,000 people, as well as material expenses. These expenditures by the State Opera result in a contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) of 177 million euros, 1,700 jobs are created or secured and the state generates around 44 million euros in taxes and duties.
In the 2023/24 season, music events at the State Opera attracted around 650,000 visitors. Seat occupancy was almost 100 percent. If you look at the opera’s guest structure, 40 percent of visitors come from abroad, 40 percent from Vienna and 20 percent from the other federal states in Austria. On average, non-resident opera visitors spend around 2.3 nights in Vienna. It can be assumed that half of the visitors to the federal states spend the night in Vienna. The expenditure of tourist visitors results in a GDP contribution of 119 million euros, around 2,000 jobs are created and 35 million euros in taxes and duties are paid.
Vienna effect of 250 million euros
The bottom line is that this results in economic effects of 296 million euros per year, a job effect of 3,700 and a tax and contribution benefit of 79 million euros. An economic contribution of 250 million euros is made directly in Vienna. Almost 3,300 jobs are secured and created in Vienna by the State Opera. A look at the effects of foreign visitors shows that a large part of the added value is created in accommodation and catering (52 million euros per year). Retail comes in second place with a value added effect of 14.5 million euros.
You can download the entire analysis of the economic importance of the State Opera as well as a fact sheet from the State Opera on the website of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce: https://wko.at/wien/staatsoper
The State Opera in numbers 2023/24:
352 performances
15 Live-Streams
203 singers
100 dancers
360 technical employees
1,709 seats
435 standing places
22 wheelchair spaces
79 million euros in taxes and duties
296 million euros GDP contribution