Scottish Town confirms Vienna thrives even in winter

The Vienna Tourist Board invited the entire Scottish village of Dull to visit the Austrian capital and judge whether the city is dull in January, in a campaign developed with Jung von Matt DONAU.

Titled "Is Vienna Dull?", the initiative combines humour, timing, and cultural storytelling to showcase Vienna as a vibrant city during the traditionally quiet month. January is peak season for the Viennese ball calendar, which includes over 450 events annually.

Cultural experiences and curated itinerary

Invitations were sent to Dull residents in November 2025. Each visitor received a tailored itinerary that came to life over the weekend of January 23, 2026. Experiences included exclusive guided tours of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, behind-the-scenes access to the Spanish Riding School, Viennese waltz lessons, ice skating at Vienna Ice World, and attending a classical concert at Karlskirche.

The program culminated at Vienna's City Hall for the Vienna Ball of Sciences, where the guests joined the science and research community, dressed in formal attire and prepared for the evening with prior dance lessons. Visitors also stayed at the Hotel Imperial, an iconic venue previously hosting Queen Elizabeth II and The Rolling Stones.

Visitors’ verdict and campaign impact

The Dull residents concluded unanimously that Vienna is definitely not dull.

Michael Nagy, Managing Partner and ECD, Jung von Matt Donau: "January is rarely considered to be an exciting time of the year – but Vienna is different. Instead of trying to prove people wrong, we put the verdict in someone else's hands and invited the residents of Dull to see for themselves. If a city can win you over in January, it has nothing left to prove in the summer."

Norbert Kettner, CEO, Vienna Tourist Board: "Vienna never hibernates, not even in January. The residents of Dull experienced this first-hand through exclusive museum visits, the Spanish Riding School, ice skating in front of the City Hall and even an evening at the Vienna Ball of Sciences, proving that winter is one of the city's richest cultural seasons. Now we're inviting travellers everywhere to follow in their footsteps and experience the same winter magic for themselves."

The two-phase PR initiative has already generated significant coverage, including placements in BBC News, The Independent, Daily Mail, and Sunday Express. The UK was selected as an ideal market due to strong media presence, cultural interest, and strategic relevance as one of Vienna’s top source markets.

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