Greens Demand Stricter Laws for Austrian Tourism Regions

Upper Austria’s provincial government is facing mounting pressure to strengthen regulations on second-home ownership amid rising concerns that lax enforcement is fueling uncontrolled growth in vacation property construction, particularly in popular tourism regions such as the Salzkammergut and Pyhrn-Priel areas.

The issue gained renewed attention after Statistics Austria reported a continued increase in secondary residences across the country, with Upper Austria showing one of the highest growth rates in the nation. Environmental and housing advocates warn that the trend is driving up local property prices, straining infrastructure, and reducing housing availability for permanent residents.

Regional officials, including Markus Achleitner of the ÖVP, have acknowledged the challenges but maintained that current laws are sufficient if properly enforced. However, critics argue that loopholes in the existing spatial planning and building regulations allow investors and affluent buyers to circumvent restrictions intended to preserve the character of rural communities.

In response, the Green Party in Upper Austria has called for a comprehensive revision of the provincial spatial planning law, proposing stricter limits on new second-home construction, higher taxes on vacant or underused properties, and mandatory occupancy requirements for certain zones. Rudi Hemetsberger, a Green Party representative in the state parliament, emphasized that the current framework fails to balance economic benefits from tourism with long-term sustainability and social equity.

“We are seeing a situation where entire villages are becoming seasonal ghost towns,” Hemetsberger said in a recent parliamentary session. “Homes sit empty for most of the year while local workers struggle to find affordable housing. This isn’t just an environmental issue — it’s a social and economic one.”

The provincial government has so far resisted calls for legislative change, opting instead to promote voluntary guidelines and increased monitoring through municipal building offices. Officials cite the importance of tourism to the regional economy, noting that second-home owners contribute significantly to local spending in sectors such as hospitality, retail, and crafts.

Nevertheless, data from Statistics Austria indicates that the number of secondary residences in Upper Austria grew by over 12 percent between 2020 and 2023, outpacing the national average. In some municipalities along the Traunsee and Hallstätter See, secondary homes now account for more than 40 percent of total housing stock.

Local mayors in affected communities have expressed mixed views. While some welcome the economic activity, others report growing frustration over strained water supplies, overloaded sewage systems, and rising tensions between permanent residents and absentee owners.

Legal experts note that any revision of the spatial planning law would require approval from both the provincial parliament and the Austrian Constitutional Court, which has previously struck down overly restrictive property measures as violating federal principles of equal treatment and freedom of movement.

As debate continues, the situation in Upper Austria reflects a broader national challenge: how to manage the economic benefits of tourism and property investment without undermining community resilience and environmental stewardship in Austria’s most scenic regions.