AUSTRIA TOURISM TURNS SECRECY INTO STRATEGY WITH “NON-DISCLOSURE AUSTRIA”

Austria Tourism has launched “Non-Disclosure Austria,” a campaign with WienNord Serviceplan that asks visitors to sign a playful NDA to access insider travel tips—without sharing them online. The initiative tackles overtourism by protecting hidden gems, promoting exclusivity, and rethinking how destinations are marketed in the social media era.  

Austria Tourism is taking an unconventional route to spark conversation about overtourism—by actively asking visitors to keep quiet. In a campaign developed with agency WienNord Serviceplan, the organization launched Non-Disclosure Austria, a playful initiative that flips traditional destination marketing on its head by encouraging tourists not to share what they discover.

Rather than spotlighting the predictable hotspots that flood Instagram every summer, Austria invited travellers to sign a tongue-in-cheek non-disclosure agreement. In exchange, they gained access to insider travel tips sourced directly from locals—secluded mountain trails, family-owned cafés, quiet lakeshores, and cultural experiences that rarely make it onto social feeds. The only condition: don’t post them online.

The strategy reframes travel promotion in an era where social media visibility can drive overcrowding, strain cities, and disrupt local life. From Venice’s cruise ship caps to Barcelona’s tourism protests, overtourism has become an increasingly urgent global concern. Austria’s campaign enters that conversation not with warnings or restrictions, but with a wink—and a genuine behavioural nudge.

By asking visitors to intentionally hold back, Non-Disclosure Austria challenges the expectation that travel must be documented publicly to be meaningful. It also taps into the psychology of exclusivity: the sense of being “let in” on a secret, making the travel experience feel more personal, intimate, and authentic. In the process, it reframes discretion as a luxury.

The initiative also reinforces a wider cultural shift. As tourism boards worldwide compete for visibility through influencers, reels, and paid partnerships, Austria suggests that sometimes the smartest promotional strategy is selective invisibility. Protecting hidden gems not only preserves their charm and cultural integrity—it creates long-term value for both residents and responsible travelers.

Ultimately, Non-Disclosure Austria uses silence as a storytelling device. By not revealing everything, the campaign foregrounds the idea that some places are worth experiencing rather than broadcasting. In doing so, Austria Tourism positions itself as a destination ready to rethink how travel is consumed, shared, and sustained in an age where every scenic overlook is one post away from being overrun. Sometimes, it turns out, the best way to market a place is to keep part of it secret.