Is this the most liveable city in the world?
As a conduit between East and West, Vienna is growing in popularity – and international firms are taking note
Denise Hruby
Austrias capital recently beat 229 other buzzing cities to be crowned the most liveable city in the world according to a study from consultancy Mercer.
If you came here 10 years ago, you wouldnt recognise the city anymore theres a lot of restaurants and bars, creative industries and its much more diverse
Its geographic location plus easy living make it a big draw for business people. While centuries old castles and fine arts make it a popular tourist destination business travellers are just as common.
For me, Vienna was the most aesthetic city in Europe, said Magnus Beyer, an engineer with Imperial College in London who recently went on his first business trip to Vienna to participate in the general assembly of the European Geosciences Union held in April.
While the city is known for its old-world charm, travellers he speaks to are still taken aback by its beauty, said Jean-Paul Dantil, general manager at the Ritz Carlton Vienna.
They are really always astounded just by how beautiful the city really is. Many are also surprised how easy it is to walk around here, how great the public transportation is and that traffic isnt bad at all considering that its a capital, Dantil said.
He said at the hotel, about half of the guests are in town for business reasons, many of them diplomats, high-ranking government officials and consultants who shake hands at international meetings of power players, such as the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. OPEC has been running its worldwide operations from Vienna since 1965.
With more than 1.8 million inhabitants, Vienna is the second-largest German-language city in world
And as one of the United Nations four major central office locations, Vienna is home to some of its major agencies, including the International Atomic Energy Agency. The UN offices employ some 4,400 people from 120 countries.
With more than 1.8 million inhabitants, Vienna is the second-largest German-language city in world, with 200,000 university students adding a youthful and cosmopolitan edge that extends to dining and nightlife, said Ursula Kainz, of Vienna Business Agency, which advises national and international companies.
If you came here 10 years ago, you wouldnt recognise the city anymore theres a lot of restaurants and bars, creative industries and its much more diverse, more open and just more colourful than before, Kainz said.
Once Central Europes most eastern outpost, Vienna became the heart of the continent with the fall of the Soviet Union a gateway for businesses seeking to expand in to the newly opened economies emerging in the east.
Coffee culture is big in Vienna
Moreover, the European Unions eastward expansion has squarely placed Vienna as a conduit for business and investment that goes both ways.
More than 200 international companies have their headquarters in Vienna, and more and more international companies are opening offices in the city, Kainz said. The high quality of life, plethora of universities, economic stability, and its proximity to Eastern Europe have been major draws.
Cultural quirks
Austrians are often considered overly formal, shown, for instance, in their insistence on the use of titles and honorifics. Even those with an undergraduate degree will be addressed as Magister, while those with a PhD are referred to as doctor, no matter whether they have a medical degree.
A simple hello isnt accepted unless youve established a close relationship with a business partner. Instead, Grusez Gott, which literally translates into Greet God, is the common phrase business partners use when they shake hands in this Roman Catholic nation.
In many respects, though, Austrians are more relaxed and laid back than their northern neighbours in Germany. Being five or 10 minutes late isnt seen as a big deal in Vienna. BBC
