Students Contribute to an Impact Analysis of ESC 2026
- 15.07.2026
- Practical Project
Event venue: Fans took full advantage of the merchandise offerings before the show.
Right in the middle of the action at the Eurovision Song Contest: As part of a hands-on project, eight students from FH Kufstein Tirol supported an empirical study of this major international event.
From May 11 to 16, 2026, Vienna hosted the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, one of Europe’s largest music and media events. In order to provide a well-founded analysis of the economic and tourism-related effects of this major event, an accompanying academic study was conducted on behalf of ORF and the City of Vienna. The project was carried out by the market research agency marketmind in cooperation with the Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO).
FH Kufstein Tirol was also involved in this project: As part of a practical project in the 2026 summer semester, students from the part-time master’s degree program in Sports, Culture & Event Management supported the market research agency marketmind in conducting a survey and collecting data on site.
Working at the Eurovision Song Contest was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. [...] That made it all more exciting not only to be there, but to actively contribute.
The practical project team
From May 13 to 16, 2026, eight students were on duty every day from 12:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at key locations throughout Vienna, including the Eurovision Village at Rathausplatz, the indoor and outdoor areas of the Stadthalle, and selected districts in the city center. This placed them right at the heart of the action while allowing them to make a valuable contribution to the data basis for the impact analysis of ESC Vienna 2026.
First Insights into Research and Practice
Even during the preparation phase, the students gained exciting insights into the behind-the-scenes processes of an event of this scale. In briefings provided by ORF, WIFO, and marketmind, they learned not only the methodological foundations of empirical research, but also the standards that clients and institutions expect from professional data collection.
The survey focused on domestic and international guests whose place of residence was outside Vienna. Through in-person interviews conducted via tablet and QR code cards for online participation, the students collected data on travel, mobility, spending behavior, and tourist stays. Engaging with visitors from all over the world required strong communication skills, flexibility, and a professional demeanor.
You only truly realize on site how much technology, coordination, and teamwork are required to produce a show of this magnitude.
The practical project team
Behind-the-Scenes Insights into a Major International Event
In addition to the academic component, the practical project offered one thing above all: real-world experience in the professional environment of a major international event. The students built valuable connections and experienced firsthand how interdisciplinary collaboration works at large-scale events.
“Working at the Eurovision Song Contest was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Who knows when an event of this scale will return to Austria? That made it all the more exciting not only to be there, but to actively contribute,” the practical project team concluded. The shows themselves were also a special highlight: “You only truly realize on site how much technology, coordination, and teamwork are required to produce a show of this magnitude. It was all the more impressive that everything ran so smoothly and that viewers on television saw a perfectly coordinated show backed by an enormous amount of preparation.”
Overall, the practical project highlights the high value of hands-on teaching in the master’s degree program in Sports, Culture & Event Management at FH Kufstein Tirol. Experiences like these provide meaningful guidance for students’ future careers and remain influential long after graduation.