Vienna turns up Christmas glitter to lift shopping gloom

Vienna boosts Christmas lights to support struggling retailers amid economic downturn.

VIENNA will splash the cash on lighting up its famed Christmas markets to bring festive cheer to struggling retailers.

Chandeliers, glittering stars and sparkling red globes are among the designs illuminating 31 Viennese streets since Friday, with the capital boosting spending on its end-of-year light displays as Austria’s economy flounders. “It’s just beautiful. It makes the city a bit more beautiful as a whole,” Kateryna Baranovska, a 23-year-old student, told AFP.

As local businesses struggle with rising costs, Vienna’s economic chamber is covering 75 per cent of the city’s Christmas lighting expenses this year, totaling about 700,000 euros.

This shift comes as Austria’s economy faces challenges, especially due to its reliance on neighboring Germany. Dieter Steup, a representative from the chamber, emphasized the importance of festive lighting for retail, as it enhances the shopping experience during the crucial pre-Christmas period.

To minimize environmental impact, Vienna uses energy-efficient LED lights powered by renewable sources. Despite increased energy costs, the city’s Christmas lights continue to create a cherished ambiance, with 64 per cent of Austrians praising them in a recent survey. — AFP

Source- The Global New Light of Myanmar