Overview
In 2016 Vienna International Airport launched a regional developing program together with seven surrounding municipalities. The main purpose of this program is to raise attractiveness of the business location Airport Region in the meaning of settlement of new businesses in the area surrounding Airport City. The task force of the Vienna Airport has the main focus on developing business parks and efficient infrastructure. Logistics in the meaning of integrated and innovative concepts for sustainable transport and mobility was not put on the agenda.
Regarding the fact that the Airport Region is a suburban region of the city of Vienna, future topics of smart urban logistics will become an important factor even for the suburban business locations. That is the reason why logistics as a factor for the Airport Region will be researched in the current study. Therefore, the region was structured into three categories:
- The Vienna International Airport itself, also called as the Airport City, representing a highly developed business location with a remarkable number of business partners,
- The Airport Region including seven surrounding municipalities and
- The Airport Region defined as suburban region of Vienna.
The study will focus on research of best practices concerning sustainable logistics solutions for suburban regions. Specific demands and challenges of the region will be explored within a participative process and interactive workshops involving all regional players. This approach raises awareness of the opportunities of innovative logistics solutions as well as the need for cooperation among the partners.
By following this concept of research and development the Airport Region will obtain valuable information for positioning the business location as a suburban logistics hub of Vienna. Regarding above mentioned categories of the Airport Region the project team has scanned the field of logistics towards reasonable trend issues to be focused in operative research work. Those topics of logistics are:
- E-Commerce and the question of effects on the real estate industry in suburban regions
- Emission-free Transport Technologies within urban cities and the effects on demands on suburban infrastructure
- Local authority related synergies of logistics cooperation
The idea of the current study occurred while taking notice of the developing activities of the Vienna International Airport together with surrounding municipalities. This platform of cooperation was recognised as fruitful basis for implementing regional logistics solutions facing the future challenges of more sustainability in transport. Logistics as an integrated science is very often underestimated by decision makers. In order to avoid mistakes in the planning and development process of the region the needs for logistics have to be integrated as a factor of success of the whole business location.