Mozart, Freud, Klimt. Those who came to Vienna in centuries gone by to join the heart of European activity are now the very attractions that draw crowds of tourists to the Austrian capital today.

Visitors, many of whom are Japanese, enjoy the silky sounds of waltzes at open-air concerts and gasp at the formidable Schonbrunn palace. Vienna is adored for its classical culture and traditional architecture — the entire central area is a UNESCO World Heritage site — and its charm is timeless.

But this seemingly valuable quality is exactly what the strategic minds behind the city's tourism industry are trying to overcome by promoting a new modern image.