The Bern 2026 Holiday Fair came to an end on Sunday after four successful days at the Bernexpo site. 20,500 visitors came to find out about destinations, forms of travel and new vacation ideas from all over the world from around 160 exhibitors.

Despite a challenging market environment, the Ferienmesse Bern proved to be an important platform for personal exchange between the public and providers. The Bern Holiday Fair impressed visitors with a wide range of products and services, from individual forms of travel to sustainable offers and inspiring ideas for destinations near and far - there was something for every style of travel.

"This year's Ferienmesse Bern once again showed how important this trade fair is for exhibitors and the Bernese public. The mood was very positive throughout, the halls were consistently well attended and, above all, the quality of the discussions with visitors was impressive at a high level. For us, this is a clear sign that the trade fair will remain relevant for visitors and exhibitors in the future," emphasizes Exhibition Director Mario Kovacevic.

A panorama of travel dreams

With 160 exhibitors, the vacation fair presented an insight into the world of travel. In the various themed areas - supplemented by a special area dedicated to camping and caravanning - visitors were greeted by a colorful, lively potpourri of lovingly designed, inspiring stands that invited them to dream and offered new, exciting ideas for every wanderlust and travel style. Whether relaxed beach vacations on Europe's coasts, active hiking experiences in Switzerland, attractive coach trips, impressive safaris, adventurous voyages of discovery or cultural forays through the Near and Far East - the Bern Holiday Fair had the right offer for every travel need.

A particular crowd-puller were once again over 300 travel lectures, which were very well attended and whetted the appetite for new horizons with personal stories, practical tips and impressive pictures.

Inspiration and experience with all the senses

The Bern Holiday Fair was much more than a traditional information platform - it was an experience for all the senses. Visitors could literally immerse themselves in the diving tower, receive valuable tips from professionals in photography workshops or be inspired by travel stories from all over the world in the various cinemas.

There was also a culinary journey of discovery: Specialties such as aromatic coffee from Uganda, rum tastings from Latin America and other typical national delicacies brought international moments of pleasure directly into the exhibition halls. For children, there was a bike course and a bouncy castle that invited them to play, discover and let off steam. The experience was rounded off by a wide range of gastronomic offerings that invited visitors to linger and made the Holiday Fair Bern an excursion for the whole family.

Positive feedback from exhibitors

The exhibitors also drew a positive conclusion: many reported intensive discussions, concrete booking inquiries and an interested, well-prepared audience.

Mary Namono Kibere, Account Officer at the Embassy of Uganda in Switzerland, is enthusiastic about the vacation fair: "The vacation fair was a complete success and offered a great opportunity to present Uganda - the 'Pearl of Africa' - to a wide audience. Visitors are invited to discover the country, which impresses with its breathtaking nature and fascinating culture."

Fimme Folmer from Holland, owner of Maarenvloot, was in Bern for the very first time - and was completely thrilled: "Our expectations were far exceeded. We would never have expected so many valuable contacts. We have already been able to make various bookings and distribute brochures. The visitors were extremely friendly and courteous. The Bern Holiday Fair is the place to be!"

Melanie Frey, responsible for marketing and social media at Globetrotter, also draws a positive balance: "We had an incredible number of good and personal contacts. Every visitor brings their own travel story, emotion or experience - and that's exactly what Globetrotter is all about. We have already been able to arrange many appointments that we will implement at a later date. We are now celebrating our 50th anniversary not only at the trade fairs, but across all the channels we manage. Our interactive 'Seekiste' was also a great success."

The next edition of Ferienmesse Bern will take place from January 28 to 31, 2027.

Nothing seems to stand in the way of the construction of the New Festival Hall in Bern: Last week, the deadline for objections expired. Already on December 22, 2022, Ladina Kirchen, governor of the Bern-Mittelland administrative district, rejected two objections to the building application: the requests had already been met with the zoning ordinance and were unfounded under public law. At its meeting, the Board of Directors of Messepark Bern AG, the company in charge of the project, unanimously approved the construction of the New Festival Hall and gave the green light for its realization.

Deconstruction of the old festival hall after BEA

From the beginning of March, Messepark Bern AG will begin preparatory work around the existing Festhalle. After this year's BEA, which lasts until May 7, 2023, the deconstruction of the old Festhalle will begin. At the current planning stage, the opening of the New Festhalle is scheduled for BEA 2025. Andrea Wucher, President of the Board of Directors of Messepark Bern AG, explains: "With the construction of the New Festival Hall, the Bern Exhibition Center, the City of Bern, the Canton of Bern and the Bernese population will have a platform that can be used in a variety of ways and that will give the Bern Exhibition Center new potential. The city of Bern and the economy of the canton of Bern will benefit sustainably from the added value generated by the event and congress business."

New festival hall: A generation project for Bern

The contemporary new building will enable the staging of cultural events, shows, sports events, art exhibitions, musicals, TV shows, meetings, and other conventions with up to 9,000 people. The intergenerational project enjoys the broad support of the people of Bern: in the vote on March 7, 2021, the city's voters approved the Mingerstrasse-Papiermühlestrasse development plan and the city's investment contribution of 15 million Swiss francs for the realization of the New Festival Hall. The Grand Council of the Canton of Bern has also approved a corresponding investment contribution. The construction of the new festival hall is also thanks to the generous support of the Bernese companies Mobiliar, Die Securitas Group and Visana Beteiligungen, as well as HRS, headquartered in Frauenfeld.