Gstaad Destination Marketing: Quality as Our Top Priority
In an interview with Sponsoring Schweiz, Tourism Director Flurin Riedi explains how Gstaad has enjoyed a global reputation for nearly 120 years thanks to sports, culture, and a consistent quality strategy—and how the planned concert hall is set to strengthen the destination as its next milestone.
Gstaad Destination Marketing was recently the focus of Sponsoring Switzerland’s second member event of the year. The Swiss Sponsorship Industry Association visited the Bernese Oberland for the occasion and spoke with Tourism Director Flurin Riedi about the secret to the success of this destination, which has been known worldwide for first-class tourism for nearly 120 years.
Quality as the Top Priority in Gstaad’s Destination Marketing
Flurin Riedi makes it absolutely clear what is the top priority in Gstaad: «Our guiding principle has always been quality. For us, the priority is to do things the »Gstaad way’—that is, with the utmost professionalism and the highest quality.” The destination recognized the value of summer tourism early on—in part through the tennis tournament, which was first held in 1915. Today, Gstaad clearly positions itself as a year-round destination: According to Riedi, the warm months now generate a similar level of economic value as the winter months.
The three strategic pillars—sports, culture, and premium tourism—served as levers for image-building, value creation, and an optimal mix of visitors. Top events served as «communication leads» and crowd-pullers. However, the foundation always remained authentic: Gstaad is characterized by intact traditions, a vibrant culture, and a rural landscape—there are 10,000 cows and 300 farms for every 10,000 residents. Mass tourism, Riedi notes, would not be a good fit.
Beacons with a Regional Impact
With the Swatch Beach Pro, the EFG Swiss Open, the Hublot Polo Gold Cup, Country Night, and the Menuhin Festival Gstaad, the region hosts major events with international appeal every summer. According to Riedi, these events perfectly reinforce Gstaad’s image as a versatile sports and cultural destination and strengthen the brand promise of an authentic yet dynamic town. It is important, he notes, that these highlights also provide a platform for the local population and directly contribute to regional economic growth. «That’s one reason why our events enjoy the full support of our residents. Without that support, events of this scale would not be feasible for us.»
The Planned Concert Hall as a Game-Changer
The new Gstaad Concert Hall, designed by Herzog & de Meuron, is set to become another cultural milestone. With the current Menuhin Festival and around 35,000 attendees per year, the destination is reaching the limits of its existing infrastructure, explains Riedi. ’The new Concert Hall would be a game-changer for our destination’s cultural standing in many ways. It would instantly give us a flagship venue, comparable to the architectural and functional impact of the KKL in Lucerne.« In addition, the Concert Hall would significantly strengthen Gstaad’s position in the MICE sector (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Events).
Stakeholder Strategy and the Gstaad Palace
A shared understanding of the brand is crucial for a cohesive brand and destination experience. More than 35 stakeholder organizations from the region are firmly integrated into the joint Tourism Strategy 2025+—from ski schools and mountain railways to the local population. «This is how we ensure that everyone is pulling in the same direction,» says Riedi.
The Gstaad Palace plays a special role in this regard. Along with the construction of the MOB railway, the opening of this historic hotel at the beginning of the 20th century laid the foundation for the region’s status as a tourist destination. Even today, the hotel remains an important global flagship, and the local hospitality industry benefits from the Palace as a leading establishment that sets standards and provides impetus for the entire destination.
A First for Sponsoring Switzerland in the Bernese Oberland
In early July, Sponsoring Schweiz hosted its first two-day member event. About 50 members accepted the invitation to the Bernese Oberland for the Swatch Beach Pro Gstaad. In addition to an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the event with organizer Ruedi Kunz, owner Andreas Scherz shared valuable insights from the Gstaad Palace. A panel discussion featuring representatives from the Menuhin Festival (Hans-Ueli and Marlène Tschanz), the Hoteliers’ Association (Christoph Huber), and Gstaad Saanenland Tourism (Oliver Waser) highlighted the regional significance of the planned concert hall. The event concluded with a keynote presentation by Nicolas Kusy (AVD Management) on athlete marketing in beach volleyball and tennis.
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