After the Second World War, it became possible for large sections of the population to go on vacation. This fundamentally changes tourism. New capacities had to be created for guests. In addition to the professional hotel and catering industry, private room rental establishes itself in rural areas. Since the 1960s, mass motorization has provided a boost to development: previously neglected areas are flourishing, traditional destinations are losing traction. Long-distance vacations are also increasing the pressure on domestic vacation destinations.
The special exhibition highlights the phases and rituals of vacationing: These range from planning and setting off to the choice of means of transportation, arrival and stay, through to storing memories in the form of pictures and souvenirs. This raises the question of which life circumstances determine who goes on vacation in which way and who may hardly or not at all be able to travel?
View of the exhibition "Zimmer frei! Vacation in the Countryside" © NÖ Museum Betriebs GmbH, Daniel Hinterramskogler
The practices of vacationing are told from the perspective of the guests, but also the hosts. This also includes conflicts, such as the different interests of tourism and agriculture, the pressure of work in the hospitality industry and the sell-out of the countryside. Questions about the future of summer vacations are also addressed: Can we speak of a trend towards climate-friendly local vacations? Are we about to rediscover the summer retreat?
September 23, 2023 to February 2, 2025
www.museumnoe.at
