"The turnaround has been achieved - but there is still some catching up to do".
In 2017, hotels in Switzerland left the difficult years following the financial crisis behind them. They recorded almost the same number of guests as in the record years of 1990 and 2008. The turnaround also appears to have been achieved in the mountain regions.
According to figures published by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) on Thursday, the Swiss hotel industry recorded 37.4 million overnight stays last year. This represents an increase of 5.2 percent compared to the previous year. After eight difficult years, Swiss hotels are thus approaching the record levels of before the financial crisis. Both Swiss and foreign guests contributed to the strong growth in overnight stays. The number of overnight stays by locals rose by 4.2 percent to 16.9 million. The number of overnight stays by foreign tourists increased by 6.1 percent to 20.5 million. This was mainly due to guests from Asia (+13 percent to 5.2 million) and America (+12 percent to 2.8 million). Asia continues to be the growth driver for Swiss tourism, writes Switzerland Tourism after the annual media conference on Thursday. Significantly more tourists traveled to Switzerland in 2017, particularly from Korea and India. The industry organization explains the strong increase in American guests with the solid US economy and the additional direct flights, among other things.
More Belgians, Germans and Russians are traveling to Switzerland
For the first time since the financial crisis, European guests are also showing signs of recovery. After Swiss hotels had lost around a third of their European guests over the past eight years, overnight stays in this segment rose by 2.2% to 11.9 million in 2017. Belgians accounted for the largest increase. However, Germans, Spaniards and Russians also spent more vacations in Switzerland. The British, on the other hand, are an exception in Europe. Contrary to the general trend, their overnight stays fell by 1 percent, which Switzerland Tourism attributes to Brexit. In contrast, there were no downward departures in Switzerland. All tourism regions have benefited from the upward trend. With growth of between 5 and 8 percent, the mountain regions in particular recorded significant growth again after years of decline. For the industry organization Switzerland Tourism, this is proof that Swiss tourism has achieved a turnaround. "The eight-year dry spell is over," said the new director of the industry organization Martin Nydegger to the media on Thursday. "Guests are once again flocking to Switzerland from the important European market." Nydegger is therefore also confident that the upward trend will continue. For the current winter season, Switzerland Tourism is forecasting an increase of 4 to 5 percent in overnight stays. However, the industry organization is more optimistic than the KOF Swiss Economic Institute, which is predicting an increase of 3.6 percent.
New fall tourism season
At the marketing organization, the successor to long-time boss Jürg Schmid wants to push ahead with digitalization and focus communication more strongly on women, as they are increasingly deciding where the journey takes us. "Our language and aesthetics should become more sensual and playful," said Nydegger. In terms of content, he also wants to reposition Switzerland abroad as a destination for good food and health. In Switzerland itself, the focus of marketing is on the fall. The aim is to promote this time of year to Swiss people as a new, independent season. "Autumn has emancipated itself from its big brother summer," said Nydegger. His keywords are colors, culinary delights, customs and soft outdoor, which primarily refers to good old hiking. (SDA/r.)
