New tourist signalization on the highways in the canton of Schwyz

The canton of Schwyz has a unique scenic and cultural diversity. Hardly any other region can present such a rich offer in such a small space. "The new freeway signs are a great showcase for regional tourism offers with a beacon character," government councilor Andreas Barraud is convinced and elaborates: "The welcome sign, which comes to stand on the A3 towards Chur, is passed by an average of around 62,000 vehicles every day, resulting in well over 30 million contacts per year."

Twenty panels promote the canton of Schwyz with its regions

A total of twenty tourist signal boards will be installed. The Office of Economic Affairs and the Civil Engineering Office are responsible for the renewal of the tourist signage on the national roads. The concept to be implemented is the result of a broad-based dialogue with the responsible tourism organizations Schwyz Tourismus AG, RigiPlus AG, Stoos-Muotatal Tourismus GmbH, Brunnen-Schwyz Marketing AG and Einsiedeln-Ybrig-Zürichsee AG, writes Schwyz Tourismus in a statement. The signs were designed by Schwyz agency Clavadetscher Gestaltung für Kultur und Wirtschaft in collaboration with illustrator Uwe Stettler. "The new tourist signage ensures optimal visitor guidance and improved communication of the most significant tourist regions and destinations," Franz-Xaver Strüby, president of Schwyz Tourism, is pleased to say. It is not only tourism in the canton of Schwyz that will benefit from this. This fall, the existing signage on the national roads in the inner and outer part of the canton will be replaced with welcome and announcement boards.

One image, two views

With twenty individually designed panels, the canton of Schwyz presents itself in all its beauty and diversity. The subjects show tourist, cultural, sporting and scenic highlights in the best light - and this also during the night. Thanks to a partially reflective surface, the image changes at night when it is illuminated by the headlights of passing vehicles. The subject now appears in an impressive nighttime atmosphere. This new staging will surprise the viewer, because the image now receives "two points of view". With the technique of partial reflection, the canton of Schwyz is breaking new ground. It is a novelty that has not yet been encountered in any other canton.

Tourist signalization on the main and secondary roads

From the highway to the actual destination, a uniform signalization is aimed at. For this reason, the design concept also includes the basics for the consistent continuation of tourist signalization on the main and secondary roads. The responsibility for this implementation lies with Schwyz Tourism and the four tourism regions. The goal is that after the completion of the signage on the highways, the implementation on the main and secondary roads can be started. The tourism service providers, the municipalities and districts are responsible for financing this project.

The economic importance of tourism in the canton of Schwyz

The diverse tourism offerings in Canton Schwyz attract five to six million day tourists every year and bring more than 1.4 million overnight stays. Tourism secures around 5700 full-time jobs, which corresponds to 8.4 percent of total employment in the canton of Schwyz. Many of these jobs are located in rural regions. Directly and indirectly, tourism generates around 500 million Swiss francs in value added annually.