Holger Gassler is head of markets & events at the Tirol Tourist Board in Austria. He grew up in the Alpine village of Nassereith in the Tyrolean “Lake District”, right on the border to Bavaria. Travelling the world for Holger, continues to be a lifelong passion, in order to “learn about new cultures and gain new insights”; he has lived and worked in Chicago and Melbourne too. With nearly 20 years’ experience under his belt with the Tirol Tourist Board and a passionate sportsman who hikes, mountain bikes, road cycles, swims, skis, ski-tours and dives, we are delighted he has found time to be our next interview guest. Here at Sports Tourism Media we love to cover anything related to Austria, one of Europe’s great active, adventure and sports travel destinations and have found the right person to inspire us all…
MTB Höttinger Alm above Innsbruck (Credit: Holger Gassler)
What was your most memorable sporting holiday and why?
There were so many, however one of my favourite was in the summer of 2012 at the London Olympics. I attended several sporting events, for example tennis at Wimbledon. There was this special intensity in the final between Andy Murray and Roger Federer. Also, London was a great host and the sporting atmosphere in the city was felt everywhere. With the Tirol Tourist Board we hosted the ‘Austrian Tirol House’ next to Tower Bridge and brought some Alpine atmosphere to London. Besides that, I love watching the ski race in Kitzbühel, it is so very special. The races are thrilling and the atmosphere is unbeatable. With 80.000 spectators in total, it brings a special feeling to the medieval town of Kitzbühel. It reunites the competitors and the spectators. I hope this returns in a safe way after Covid-19.
Walking in Osttirol long-distance path Karnischer Höhenweg (Credit: Holger Gassler)
What’s the ultimate sporting tournament you would attend purely as a fan and/or spectator and why?
Since I am afraid of heights, which is not great for a Tyrolean, I am not a climber myself, however, I always wanted to do it and as a kid I was keen on going on via ferratas. I can recommend everybody to visit a ‘climbing world cup’ or ‘world championships’. It is amazing to see what the professional sport climbers are able to do, in the three different disciplines, such as lead, speed and bouldering. They are like spiders in persona and ability. Also, what differentiates these professionals is although they compete against one another, they all get along as friends and support each other. This is very rare in the professional sports world. The atmosphere during the sport climbing competitions is fantastic. You are so close to the professionals; spectators are cheering and the music is pushing them to new limits. It is a mix of a professional sports competition with a concert. I look forward to visit the 1. IFSC AUSTRIA CLIMBING OPEN in Innsbruck at the end of June. Also, I look forward to the Davis Cup tournament in Innsbruck from the 25th until the 30th of November. The best players in the world, from Great Britain, Serbia, Germany, Austria, France and Czech Republic will play in the ‘Olympiaworld’ in Innsbruck.
You seem to be an all-round sportsman, from mountain biking to hiking and everything in between, are there any new activities in Austria you are keen to try?
I do so many kinds of sports and definitely there are a few ones I want to try. I tried cross country skiing. Perfect sport to explore the beauty of nature and keep your entire body fit. However you need to do it regularly in order to have a base foundation of fitness to enjoy doing it without being totally wasted; maybe I have run out of time on this one. I would also love to try paragliding in order to see world from above. However, I need to convince myself in order to lower my fear of heights
Walking in Osttirol (Credit: Holger Gassler)
We are now in an era where health, wellness, sustainability and outdoor activities are crucially important, however, this has always been the case in Austria, so how do you foresee Austria and your region capitalising on this?
I always call Tyrol the perfect outdoor fitness playground. It has the benefits of a fitness studio, plus fresh air and stunning sceneries. And afterwards at least in summer you refresh in a lake instead of a shower. Not to mention the benefits for your mental health alongside your physical fitness. I was so pleased during COVID, that our walking/hiking paths, cycling tracks and (in winter) ski slopes, cross country slopes, winter hiking paths were groomed and open – of course under the strictest rules and only for residents in the Tirol. I strongly believe it assisted in being a prevented measure against illnesses because people were out in the nature exercising and cleansing their mind. For me this is the best medicine especially the amazing vistas. I think Tyrol and the Alps are the perfect spots these days and this means a bright future; however, there needs to be a balance between nature and the number of people. There is always the potential threat of ‘over-tourism’ and it is important not to cross that line.
Tell us the meaning of your strategic vision tagline “Tyrol is the epitome of alpine lifestyle” and the future impact it will have from 2021 and beyond?
Tyrol, the heart of the Alps, is a living space in dialogue with alpine nature. But where do we want to go, where do we want to develop the Tyrol? The vision of the Tirol brand is the most general, yet at the same time the most binding formulation for the direction of development: “Tirol is the most sought-after place of power in the alpine world” in culture, sport and research, also in training and further education and in the further development of our living space and economic area. This all within a sustainable framework. When you take the Tirolean skilifts, 95 % of the energy used by Tirolean cable car companies is from renewable energy. It was founded by the company Lebensraum Tirol Holding, which brings together key stakeholders and relevant players, in order to set projects in this direction and increase the radiance of the Tirol brand in the Alpine region and beyond
Walkers, MTB and swimmers’ paradise – Lake Blindsee in the Tiroler Zugspitzarena (Credit: Holger Gassler)
From a boots on the ground perspective, I have experienced the amazing adventure park: AREA 47 in Oetztal (Tirol); have you been there and can you tell our readers a little about it?
AREA 47 is the ultimate adventure playground at the beginning of the Ötztal valley, which is famous for its ski resorts: Sölden and Gurgl (Ober- und Hochgurgl). I have been there and it is a fun place for all kinds of adventure sports, such as rafting (different levels), canyoning, wake-boarding, climbing & via feratas, the high rope garden, mountain biking and a very large 20.000 square metre water park with slides, blobbing and much much more.. Also, they offer lodges/ rooms to stay onsite and entertainment with concerts/ DJ’s in the evening. A great place for visiting with friends and with the family. I definitely recommend diving into the lake ‘Piburg’, which is nearby and nestled between forest and mountains.
Area 47 in Oetztal, Austria, which is a haven for adrenalin-fueled activities (Credit: Ramy Salameh)
If you could choose one adrenaline or adventure activity to do on holiday (excluding Austria) what would it be and where?
I love the mountains and the nature. My second anchor is the sea. I think both mountains and sea have a unique magnetism. I want to go diving with the sharks and hopefully this will happen soon, either in Malaysia or Indonesia
For more information on the Tirol Region see tyrol.com