ORF, the Austrian national broadcaster and the EBU(European Broadcasting Union) announced the name of the 2015 Eurovision host city and venue after a nail biting and thrilling selection. We will be flying to  the Imperial Austrian capital of  Vienna, famous for its regal splendour and beauty.

Vienna will have the honour of hosting the Eurovision Song Contest for a second time in Eurovision history thanks to Conchita Wurst’s magnificent victory at the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest last May. The Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna will welcome Europe at the forthcoming Eurofest on 19, 21 and 23 May. The first time Vienna hosted the event was back in 1967 when Sandie Shaw gave the UK its first Eurovision victory with Puppet on a string.

The General Director of ORF Mr. Aleaxander Wrabetz announced:

We had three very interesting offers, which were all above our expectations ,I would like  thank the persons responsible who were responsible for the bids in Graz and Innsbruck.   After an exhaustive deliberation  and taking into account all the relevant parameters, our choice fell on Vienna. . Vienna is located in the heart of Europe, with its rich musical, cultural and artistic background and essence it will play a key role in enticing the world. Vienna has great experience in having hosted various major events in the past. Therefore it is suitable to host an event such as the Eurovision Song Contest in the capital city of our country. Our goal is to produce an excellent Eurovision Song Contest that will impress Europe and make all the Austrians proud.

 The Executive supervisor for the Eurovision Song Contest ( EBU)- Mr Jan Ola Sand also commented regarding the choice of the host city:

We are very pleased with ORF’s decision to choose Vienna as the host city of the next Eurovision Song Contest .We are confident the city has the experience, people and the facilities to host the world’s foremost entertainment event. With the cooperation between Vienna, ORF and the EBU, I’m sure we’ll see three amazing shows in May.

A total of 3 cities with their respective venues were in contention to host Europe’s favorite television show- the Eurovision Song Contest: Vienna with its Wiener Stadthallen, Graz with its Stadhallen Graz and Innsbruck with its Olympiaworld. After a tough and tight competition the honour of hosting the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest has been awarded to the Wiener Stadthallen and Vienna.

Vienna is a very well connected to many European and international cities with many airlines offering direct flights from many cities throughout the continent and overseas. Eurovision fans will now be able to plan their forthcoming trip to Austria and book their flights and accomodation for Eurovision 2015. The city has much to offer: magnificent and lavish palaces, museums, restaurants, cafes, nightlife, parks, operas, musical concerts, castles, architecture, imperial gardens, horse riding schools and fountains. Vienna boasts of a and rich historical and cultural heritage.

Countries wishing to compete at the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest can submit their application to the EBU by 15 September. The official list of participating countries is expected to be released by the EBU by early 2015. The EBU and ORF have block booked a large number of hotel rooms for the delegations, journalists and fans that will attend the event.  Information about ticket sales is expected to be released by the end of the year. A total of 1,500 journalists from all over the world are expected to land in the Austrian capital next May.

The Participating countries

ESCToday.com has managed to get confirmations from all the participating and non participating broadcasters and countries this year. More details about it, can be found here. The complete list of countries can be found on the Participants page.

Stay tuned to ESCToday.com for the latest news on Vienna and the 2015 Eurovison Song Contest.