Vienna, November 15, 2024 – This year, Mayor Michael Ludwig and Vienna Chamber of Commerce President Walter Ruck once again turned on Vienna’s Christmas lights together, thus giving the starting signal for atmospheric lighting for 31 Viennese shopping districts and streets. This guarantees a special shopping experience for consumers during the busiest time of the year. Both locals and tourists prefer to shop for longer in streets decorated for Christmas, which in turn brings positive Christmas business to companies.
“The festive Christmas lights are not only a shining symbol of hope and contemplation in our city, but also a shining example of the successful cooperation between the City of Vienna and the Vienna Chamber of Commerce. By increasing the Christmas lights funding to 75 percent, we are sending a strong signal of support for our local businesses in these challenging times. We invite all Viennese and our guests to enjoy the unique shopping experience in our lovingly lit shopping districts and thereby contribute to a lively and prosperous Vienna,” says Mayor Michael Ludwig.
“The Vienna Chamber of Commerce has been the central contact for Vienna’s Christmas lights for over two decades. She is responsible for the overall annual coordination – for example for coordination with all specialist departments regarding requirements, funding, security checks and liability insurance. The year-round exchange with external consultants, specialist companies and the responsible municipal authorities is the basis for ensuring that the Christmas lights are hung on time and function properly,” says Walter Ruck, President of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce.
Financing subsidies increased to 75 percent this year and 2025
What many consumers don’t know: The financing of the Christmas lights lies with the companies in the respective shopping streets. This means that not every shopping street in Vienna has its own Christmas lights. Companies often cannot bear the high financing costs that include the assembly, dismantling, storage and electricity of the Christmas lights – especially when the economy is not doing quite as well as it should.
Due to the economically challenging times, the City of Vienna, in the form of the Vienna Business Agency, and the Vienna Chamber of Commerce have decided to support the operation of Vienna’s Christmas lights this year and next year 2025 with 75 percent instead of the previous 50 percent. This ensures that there are so many individual Christmas lights in Vienna again.
These are the 31 streets and shopping areas in the Christmas lights
1010 Vienna (14 areas)
- Annagasse
- Farmers market
- Dorotheergasse
- Goldschmiedgasse/Jasomirgottstraße
- Graben/Trattnerhof
- Herrengasse
- Carinthian Street
- Kohlmarkt
- New market
- Palaisviertel
- Rotenturmstraße
- Mirror Alley
- Wallnerstraße/Fahnengasse
- Wollzeile
Other districts (17 areas)
- 1030 Vienna: Landstraßer Hauptstraße
- 1060 Vienna: Inner Mariahilferstrasse
- 1070 Vienna: Neubaugasse
- 1080 Vienna: Josefstädterstrasse
- 1090 Vienna: Servitenviertel, Volksopernviertel
- 1110 Vienna: Simmeringer Hauptstrasse
- 1120 Vienna: Meidlinger Hauptstrasse
- 1140 Vienna: Hütteldorfer Straße, Nisselgasse
- 1150 Wien: Gablenzgasse, Reindorfgasse
- 1180 Vienna: Währinger Straße, Kreuzgasse
- 1190 Vienna: Obkirchergasse
- 1220 Vienna: Seestadt Aspern
- 1230 Vienna: Maurer Hauptplatz
The “meinkaufstadt Wien” Christmas campaign starts on November 28th
“Christmas time. “Wish Time” is the slogan of the communications offensive of meinkaufstadt Vienna – the brand for regional shopping and consumption. This will be seen and heard throughout December on TV, in outdoor advertising, print, online, in cinemas and on the radio. A Christmas TV spot, radio spots and print motifs are intended to make people want to go shopping in Vienna’s neighborhoods. The campaign supports Vienna’s local suppliers in positioning themselves in the best possible way. It combines shopping districts, shopping streets, markets and shopping centers where you can get advice, enjoy and get everything you need and like. Information: meinkaufstadt.wien