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About the fund

The Tourismusbeschäftigtenfonds supports people who work in hotels and restaurants. We help with getting into work, with further training and with staying in work.

Illustration: hotel reception, staff welcoming guestsAI illustration

Who we are

We are here for employees: cooks, waiting staff, housekeeping and reception staff, and everyone else who works or last worked in hotels, inns, restaurants, cafés and bars. It does not matter whether you work full-time, part-time or in marginal employment.

  • 1 January 2026

    set up by law (TBFG)

  • Vienna

    where the fund is based

  • All of Austria

    for employees in every federal state

  • €6.5 million

    a year from the federal government

What the fund stands for

The law gives us three tasks, and our funding is organised around them.

  1. Finding work

    Making it easier to get into work

    People who want to work in the sector again after a period without employment should not be left on their own.

  2. Further training

    Paying for qualifications

    Money should not stand in the way of training and further training: course costs, travel costs and money to live on during training.

  3. Keeping your job

    Keeping people in work

    People who want to stay in their job should be able to do so, even when childcare or special costs get in the way.

  4. Further training

    Bonus for apprentices

    A bonus for moving to an apprenticeship with a company and for your first job in a hotel or restaurant after the apprenticeship.

All funding

How the fund came about

The AMS does not pay for many training courses in tourism – for example, because the person is not unemployed. We fill this gap.

  1. Government programme 2025 – 2029

    The idea

    The federal government includes a statutory fund for tourism employees in its programme, as part of its measures to retain staff in tourism.

  2. 15 October 2025

    Government bill

    The Ministry of Social Affairs presents the draft law to the National Council. The aim according to the explanatory notes: to keep employees in the sector and in their current employment, or to bring them back into tourism. It also provides for special support in the event of an accident at work or job loss.

  3. 11 December 2025

    Adopted by the National Council

    The National Council passes the Tourismusbeschäftigtenfondsgesetz (Tourism Employees Fund Act). At the same time, federal funding is laid down in the Arbeitsmarktpolitik-Finanzierungsgesetz (Labour Market Policy Financing Act).

  4. 18 December 2025

    Federal Council and publication

    The Federal Council gives its approval. The law is published as BGBl. I Nr. 119/2025.

  5. 1 January 2026

    The fund starts work

    The law comes into force. The federal government provides the fund with 6.5 million euros a year. The fund will be evaluated after three years.

  6. 29 July 2026

    First Benefit Rules (Leistungsordnung)

    The board adopts the first Benefit Rules (Leistungsordnung) with all types of funding and their requirements; the Ministry of Social Affairs confirms them.

  7. 28 October 2026

    Online applications

    Employees can apply for funding on this website: choose the funding, fill in the application and upload proof, all in one go.

Sources: government bill 253 d.B. with explanatory notes, Parliamentary Correspondence on the Social Affairs Committee, BGBl. I Nr. 119/2025. Government bill and explanatory notes (Parliament) · Parliamentary Correspondence PK0938

Who runs the fund and what it is based on

Legal basis
TBFGBGBl. I Nr. 119/2025, in force since 1 January 2026
Benefit Rules (Leistungsordnung)
29 July 2026Initial Benefit Rules (Startleistungsordnung), in force under § 3 Abs 4 TBFG
Financing
€6.5 million per yearTransfer from the federal government under § 6c AMPFG
Supervision
BMASGPKFederal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection
Board
VoluntaryFederal Chamber of Labour (Bundesarbeitskammer), trade union and independent tourism research
Day-to-day operations
ManagementThe TBF has its own management and works with various service providers
Entitlement
No automatic entitlementWe check every application.
Tax
Tax-freeNot counted as pay under § 49 ASVG, tax-free under § 3 Abs 1 Z 3 lit a EStG 1988

The fund is based in Vienna and covers all of Austria.

Board and management

The board works on a voluntary basis and consists of one representative each from the Federal Chamber of Labour, the trade union and independent tourism research. Day-to-day business is run by the management.

  • Mag.a Anna Daimler BA (Chair of the Board)
  • Sarah Beran, MSc. (Deputy Chair of the Board)
  • Anna Burton, PhD (Board member)

Mag. Markus Hafner-Auinger, MA (Managing Director)

Substitute board members: Bernhard Pehart, Mag.a Alexandra Terzaki, Dr. Helmut Mahringer

Supervision (BMASGPK): Mag. Hannes Edlinger, Tony Meinert, MSc.

Contact

We are happy to answer questions about funding or your application by phone or email.

Marxergasse 24/2, 1030 Wien
Please note: this address is not open to visitors. Please call us or send us an email.+43 1 960 94 00
foerderung@tourismusfonds.at