Schmid, Pelli & Partner supports Time Out Switzerland in its marketing strategy and develops tailor-made packages to meet the needs of companies in the tourism and leisure industry. "Expats want to discover their host country Switzerland, travel a lot and spend more than average," says Jürg Schmid, co-owner of Schmid, Pelli & Partner and former director of Switzerland Tourism. With the expat community in Switzerland, Time Out Switzerland appeals to a clientele that is constantly growing. "We are delighted that Schmid, Pelli & Partner is helping us to bring Swiss tourism and expats together," says Celeste Neill, Editor-in-Chief of Time Out Switzerland.

The Time Out Group - founded in 1968 by Brit Tony Elliott and his business partner - is now a global multi-channel company that reaches 242 million people every month and is represented in 108 cities from Mumbai to Dubai and Los Angeles. The "leisure bible" provides its readers with numerous insider tips on restaurants, bars, cultural events, leisure activities and experiences around the globe. On the market for three years, Time Out Switzerland is now the largest English-language multimedia portal in Switzerland with 1 million visitors per year and has also published a magazine with a circulation of 25,000 copies since 2017. Celeste Neill from the UK is editor-in-chief and franchisee of the British publishing house.

Schmid, Pelli & Partner develop marketing solutions for the travel and leisure industry with the aim of increasing the added value of Swiss tourism. By tapping into the growing and lucrative expat market, the tourism professionals with a background in Swiss tourism are breaking new ground.

In 2014, the publishing house Ripley & Jones, founded by Celeste Neill, launched the international lifestyle title Time Out in Switzerland as an English-language digital platform. Time Out is now represented in 108 cities in 39 countries around the world and tells readers what a city has to offer.

Time Out Switzerland has established itself as an online portal - around 80,000 people visit each month Timeout.com/switzerland. Time Out targets expats living in Switzerland, as well as foreign visitors who use the platform for inspiration for their next trip to Switzerland. Half of the site's visitors live in Switzerland and urban areas, while the rest of the traffic comes mainly from the US and the UK.

So now Time Out Switzerland is venturing into the offline world and launching a printed magazine. This will appear for the first time on October 17, 2017, as an autumn and winter issue. As publishing director and editor-in-chief Celeste Neill tells Werbewoche, the next issue is scheduled to appear in March 2018 and will thematically cover the seasons of spring and summer.

The first issue will have a print run of 25,000 copies, and the magazine will be distributed free of charge throughout Switzerland at key points relevant to the target group - for example, in Orell Füssli's English-language bookstore, at the airport, in hotels, etc. The magazine will also be distributed free of charge to the public. On 28 pages, seasonal events, bars, restaurants, culture, shopping opportunities and hotels are recommended to the readership in English.

With the launch of a print edition, Time Out Switzerland is following in the footsteps of its famous "parent edition" - the printed Time Out Magazine is London's most widely read free medium. A print edition was also recently launched in Barcelona. "The print editions have always offered a popular, engaging and entertaining brand experience - we now want to introduce this to Switzerland," says Neill. "Since 2014, we have focused on driving digital traffic through content optimization and development." Of Time Out Switzerland's success in paper form, Neill is convinced, "The print edition will continue to drive our digital values and strengthen our brand awareness. Our unique content will help readers make the most of their time in Switzerland during the upcoming fall and winter seasons."

David Woodley, Managing Director International of the Time Out Group, sees numerous advantages in the launch of print titles: "Time Out has a strong digital focus and is constantly expanding its own websites, mobile platforms and social media channels. Adding print magazines to this multi-platform mix represents a successful formula to strengthen customer loyalty and the brand. In addition, the print edition adds value for advertisers by providing creative contact opportunities and new touch points with Time Out's unique readership." (hae)

Among the authors of Time Out Switzerland include Katharina Blansjaar (former head of the lifestyle section of NZZ am Sonntag and book author), Caroline Bishop (wrote for the Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, National Geographic Traveller) and Peter Carty (wrote for GQ, Esquire, The Independent, The Financial Times and was travel editor at Time Out London for four years).

"Inspiration, information, entertainment and credibility - these are the keywords for which Time Out stands. The platform also has a responsive design and is ideal for use via smartphone or tablet PC," explains Celeste Neill, who is responsible for the Swiss market launch with the agency she runs, Ripley & Jones. The trained journalist most recently worked as content manager for Switzerland and Zurich Tourism, among others. Tim Arthur, Global CEO of the Time Out Group, also sees the Swiss market entry as important: "I am very excited about the launch of Time Out Switzerland on the global Time Out platform. This is a significant step for our company as we continue to expand in both the U.S. and Europe."

Time Out Switzerland will focus on the cities of Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne, Lugano and Zurich, as well as on the most important winter sports resorts. Existing advertising partners include Switzerland Tourism, Davos Klosters and the perfumery chain Marionnaud, for which Time Out developed the "City Tip" in its customer magazine.