After their team’s defeat against Spain, Russian football fans have moved on to Salzburg ahead of their match against Greece, and they seem to have taken quite nicely to their new surroundings.

With their move to a new city comes renewed hope and a chance to put their disappointment in Innsbruck behind them.
Moreover, for Russian fans their trip to Austria is not only about the football.
It’s an opportunity to go sightseeing and shopping and to eat out in restaurants.
With four days between games, there are plenty of chances to relax and take in their surroundings.
There are, of course, still some who are anxious about Russia’s chances on the pitch, but for them help is at hand as Russia’s Football Union has set up a home from home in the form of Salzburg’s Russia House.
“It was a very good idea to set up the Russia House here in Salzburg. Although far from home, Russian fans can feel at home here. The idea is just great,” said one Russian fan.
All of this, however, is just a distraction from the real reason for the fans being there. Every evening Austrian city centres are transformed into shrines to the football. The next chance for Russia’s fans to pay homage will be the crunch match against Greece on Saturday.

Reinhard Tritscher, the director of the opening ceremony in the UEFA EURO 2008 Fan Zone in Salzburg, has revealed his programme for the event on Saturday.

Diverse programme
Some 350 local artists will perform in the Fan Zone in the city’s old town between 15.00 and 17.00CET on 7 June, with the event featuring an attractive and diverse side programme which incorporates folk culture to classical music to Balkan pop and jazz. In addition, the national anthems of the four teams who will play in Salzburg – Spain, Greece, Russia and Sweden – will be performed.

‘Anticipation and welcome’
"The opening of the Fan Zone at Salzburg’s Residenz Platz represents both anticipation and welcome, and the focus will be interacting with the people of other European countries," said Tritscher. An hour after the opening ceremony, the Fan Zone will experience another highlight with the live broadcast of the opening match of the final tournament between co-hosts Switzerland and the Czech Republic.

Vienna, Austria: Have fun and hurry back!

The Austrian cities hosting European Championship games are hoping soccer fans will have such a great time next month they’ll soon be back for more.

It’s part of the Alpine republic’s strategy to secure long-term economic benefits from Euro 2008, co-hosted by Austria and Switzerland, and runs for three weeks from June 7.

Officials in Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck and Klagenfurt say the tournament will give them a chance to charm first-time visitors and others who may never have considered Austria a vacation destination.

"We have the opportunity and duty to present ourselves as perfect, enthusiastic and committed hosts," said Petra Stolba, head of the Austrian National Tourist Office.

"With soccer as a theme, we can target guests who haven’t been reached before."

Stolba says Austria expects nearly 2 million additional overnight stays over the course of the competition, which wraps up June 29.

"We are convinced that Euro 2008 will shine the spotlight on Austria and this advertising value is immeasurable," she said.

It’s a countrywide effort with different regional goals.

Vienna, known for its many museums and countless other cultural attractions, hopes to add sports to its portfolio and convince tourists of all ages that the city is worth a closer look.

In a similar vein, Salzburg is seeking to move beyond being the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

"People will see that Salzburg is not just about Mozart — we’re surrounded by beautiful nature and plenty of sports options," host city spokesman Martin Roseneder said.

In the region surrounding the southern city of Klagenfurt, officials hope to impress first-time fans from Croatia and Poland and rekindle enthusiasm among Germans, who have traditionally visited the area in droves but whose numbers have dropped off lately.

"Thousands of fans are coming into our region who could become vacationers down the road," said Wolfgang Doerfler of the regional chamber of commerce.

"This is a perfect opportunity and could have a stimulating effect in the long-term," he said.

Tyrol, a popular skiing destination in the country’s mountainous west, is counting on winning over fans who may never have contemplated a visit to Innsbruck when the area’s many slopes are covered in grass, not snow.

Peter Trost of the Tyrollean chamber of commerce says care should be taken not to go overboard. The key, he said, was making people feel welcome.

"You can’t force it on anyone," he said.