Overseas tourist numbers picked up during the summer
Swiss hotels saw an increase of 80% more tourists from other countries during the summer months compared with the same period in 2020 when Switzerland was in lockdown.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/mga
Between the start of May and the end of October, overnight stays at hotels increased by more than a third, reaching 18.2 million. The increase was particularly significant in May and June because Switzerland had closed its borders to many countries during these months last year.
Overnight stays recorded by overseas tourists rose 78.8% this summer with numbers picking up considerably from Asia and the United States.
Domestic tourism, which had risen considerably last year, continued to see an upward trend, with 21% extra bookings at hotels by Swiss residents.
The uptick in numbers was felt particularly in big cities such as Geneva, Basel and Zurich.
But hotels continue to have a hard time compared to the pre-pandemic era. Overnight stays during the summer were down by nearly a fifth from 2019, with overseas guests recording 57% fewer bookings.
“Guests from Asia recorded a drop in overnight stays of 85.4%, those from America of 74.0% and visitors from Europe of 32.5%,” read a statementExternal link from the Federal Statistical Office on Monday.
Hotels are still not out of the woods as the pandemic reaches yet another wave of increased infections, combined with the arrival of the Omicron Covid variant.
Many hotels have reported a spate of cancellations as Omicron stirs up yet more uncertainty and worry.
Tourism sector will take decades to recover from pandemic
This content was published on
The president of Switzerland Tourism says the year 2021 is on course to be even worse than 2020, with 5% fewer hotel stays expected.
Swiss price watchdog slams excessive prices for generic medicines
This content was published on
The cheapest generic medicines available in Switzerland are more than twice as expensive as in other countries, according to a study by the Swiss price watchdog.
Nature should not figure in net zero calculations: academic study
This content was published on
The natural removal of CO2 from the atmosphere by forests or oceans should not be included in the net-zero balance of climate protection measures, argue researchers.
This content was published on
None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.
This content was published on
Nestlé's new CEO Laurent Freixe, has presented plans for the future of the world's largest food company, after his first few weeks in office.
Swiss foreign minister calls on Moscow to end Ukraine war
This content was published on
It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis tells the UN Security Council.
This content was published on
The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.
Study reveals food culture differences between Switzerland and neighbours
This content was published on
Three-quarters of Swiss people consider eating to be a pleasurable, social activity, a new survey reveals. Healthy eating, however, plays a much less important role, it found.
This content was published on
Many Belgian, British and Dutch guests have already cancelled their Christmas holidays in the Alpine nation, it said. At least 27 countries – about half of them in Europe – have reported cases of this new coronavirus variant of concern, which was first identified in South Africa. In the central Bernese Oberland region, for example,…
Hotels and restaurants complain of lost profits due to Covid certificate
This content was published on
Swiss hotels and restaurants have seen turnover drop by an average of 27.6% since the introduction of the Covid certificate, they say.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.