The tourism promoter
As the new Head of Sponsorship, Controlling and Finance at Switzerland Tourism, Rafael Enzler wants to sell Swissness as advertising.
As the new Head of Sponsorship, Controlling and Finance at Switzerland Tourism, Rafael Enzler wants to sell Swissness as advertising He knew very early on what his dream job could be. "Sponsoring in tourism", laughs Rafael Enzler, was the title of his degree thesis in St. Gallen. But before the business economist, who majored in tourism and transport economics, was elected as the new Head of Sponsorship at Switzerland Tourism, his professional journey first took him in a different direction. The operas "Nabucco" and "Carmen" in the Hallenstadion were major projects in which Enzler was able to gain his first experience in project management. He also worked on a feasibility study for Expo.02 for the same consulting company, B+R Event AG in Zurich. "That was at the very beginning" and the questions were: What kind of visitors will come to the Expo? How do you want to address them?
Enzler then moved even closer to tourism when he consulted on the construction of new spas in Scuol, Vals and St. Moritz. But before he finally wanted to devote himself entirely to his current industry, the "part-time" programmer and qualified marketing manager also took a detour into the Internet in 1996. In the pioneering phase of the Internet, he was lured to Ringier to set up "ZHOL Zürich Online". Enzler worked as Head of Marketing and Sales and found it "instructive in every respect" because he not only had to sell Internet services to people, but also first had to explain the new medium to himself and others.
Enzler then became operationally involved in tourism promotion with the reorganization of Toggenburg Tourism. His work must have attracted attention, because after just eighteen months, Switzerland Tourism headhunted him to become Head of Benelux Countries. From this time in Amsterdam, Enzler fondly remembers the mountain that he was able to "present" to the Dutch royal family for the birth of the daughter of William Alexander and Maxima. Piz Amalia in the Lower Engadine is now marked on official maps.
From the office in Holland with 12 employees, he moved on to New York. There, Enzler looked after the US and Canadian markets with 19 people for two years before moving to the head office in Zurich. "Of course, selling Switzerland in New York is a dream job," says Enzler. He is a little proud that it was his idea to exhibit the Federal Charter in New York for the "Swiss Roots" campaign, which attracted a lot of media attention. In the campaign, descendants of Swiss emigrants were asked to research their old roots once again.
Despite such successes, emigrant Enzler also wanted to return to his old homeland, because his three children should not completely lose their roots and should also go to school here for a few more years. Professionally, he was attracted by the challenge of being able to take on responsibility as Head of Finance and Controlling at the headquarters of Switzerland Tourism even before sponsoring. The new structure has arisen because the previous Head of Sponsorship, Jörg Krebs, is to devote himself entirely to international location marketing for Switzerland in the context of the Euro 08 football event. "Here, of course, we want to benefit from the wind of change," promises Enzler.
Switzerland Tourism receives CHF 46 million a year from the federal government for all its activities. That is 60 percent of the budget. The rest has to be generated from various tourism partners and sponsors. In the area of sponsorship, partnerships generate around CHF 4 million annually.
The fact that sponsorship has evolved significantly from former patronage to a marketing instrument was one of the core statements of his thesis "Sponsoring in Tourism" - and it has not lost its validity. "It is important to look for partners who really benefit from an image transfer." This requires professional support. "Otherwise a project like this will only work in the short term." And Switzerland Tourism is less interested in such individual campaigns. "We are looking for partners with whom we can build something," explains Enzler.
We are therefore looking for organizations that want to support the value of "Swissness" and the Swiss brand on Switzerland Tourism's platforms. Brands or institutions such as SBB, Swiss International Airlines, Hotelleriesuisse, Swisscom, Swiss Post, Victorinox, Zurich Airport, Bucherer or Swiss Cheese Marketing can benefit from a large international network thanks to their sponsorship - and not just on the "extremely well-used" MySwitzerland.com website.
One of these partnership projects that will soon be attracting attention is a new IMAX film. The same American production company that has already made fascinating monumental films about the Nile or Mount Everest around the world is now shooting a new film about Switzerland entitled "The Alps" in the most beautiful locations. "This film is a huge opportunity for us," says Enzler happily. And you can believe that, as a tourism expert, he knows how to sell no country better than his own.
Andreas Panzeri
Enzler then moved even closer to tourism when he consulted on the construction of new spas in Scuol, Vals and St. Moritz. But before he finally wanted to devote himself entirely to his current industry, the "part-time" programmer and qualified marketing manager also took a detour into the Internet in 1996. In the pioneering phase of the Internet, he was lured to Ringier to set up "ZHOL Zürich Online". Enzler worked as Head of Marketing and Sales and found it "instructive in every respect" because he not only had to sell Internet services to people, but also first had to explain the new medium to himself and others.
Enzler then became operationally involved in tourism promotion with the reorganization of Toggenburg Tourism. His work must have attracted attention, because after just eighteen months, Switzerland Tourism headhunted him to become Head of Benelux Countries. From this time in Amsterdam, Enzler fondly remembers the mountain that he was able to "present" to the Dutch royal family for the birth of the daughter of William Alexander and Maxima. Piz Amalia in the Lower Engadine is now marked on official maps.
From the office in Holland with 12 employees, he moved on to New York. There, Enzler looked after the US and Canadian markets with 19 people for two years before moving to the head office in Zurich. "Of course, selling Switzerland in New York is a dream job," says Enzler. He is a little proud that it was his idea to exhibit the Federal Charter in New York for the "Swiss Roots" campaign, which attracted a lot of media attention. In the campaign, descendants of Swiss emigrants were asked to research their old roots once again.
Despite such successes, emigrant Enzler also wanted to return to his old homeland, because his three children should not completely lose their roots and should also go to school here for a few more years. Professionally, he was attracted by the challenge of being able to take on responsibility as Head of Finance and Controlling at the headquarters of Switzerland Tourism even before sponsoring. The new structure has arisen because the previous Head of Sponsorship, Jörg Krebs, is to devote himself entirely to international location marketing for Switzerland in the context of the Euro 08 football event. "Here, of course, we want to benefit from the wind of change," promises Enzler.
Switzerland Tourism receives CHF 46 million a year from the federal government for all its activities. That is 60 percent of the budget. The rest has to be generated from various tourism partners and sponsors. In the area of sponsorship, partnerships generate around CHF 4 million annually.
The fact that sponsorship has evolved significantly from former patronage to a marketing instrument was one of the core statements of his thesis "Sponsoring in Tourism" - and it has not lost its validity. "It is important to look for partners who really benefit from an image transfer." This requires professional support. "Otherwise a project like this will only work in the short term." And Switzerland Tourism is less interested in such individual campaigns. "We are looking for partners with whom we can build something," explains Enzler.
We are therefore looking for organizations that want to support the value of "Swissness" and the Swiss brand on Switzerland Tourism's platforms. Brands or institutions such as SBB, Swiss International Airlines, Hotelleriesuisse, Swisscom, Swiss Post, Victorinox, Zurich Airport, Bucherer or Swiss Cheese Marketing can benefit from a large international network thanks to their sponsorship - and not just on the "extremely well-used" MySwitzerland.com website.
One of these partnership projects that will soon be attracting attention is a new IMAX film. The same American production company that has already made fascinating monumental films about the Nile or Mount Everest around the world is now shooting a new film about Switzerland entitled "The Alps" in the most beautiful locations. "This film is a huge opportunity for us," says Enzler happily. And you can believe that, as a tourism expert, he knows how to sell no country better than his own.
Andreas Panzeri
