Swiss get ready to holiday at home – safely

Swiss people are being discouraged from travelling abroad, even after the borders open, because of the continuing danger of catching Covid-19. Many are therefore booking holiday homes in Switzerland instead. Reservations are said to have quadrupled on one large holiday home site. 

Swiss residents have been told by the government that they will not be stopped from leaving, but many neighbouring countries are set to keep their borders closed for the foreseeable future and that vacations in Switzerland would be preferred. 

There are plenty of guesthouses open for business, as well as farms with guest rooms, alpine huts and heritage buildings. Most holiday homes have cooking facilities for families who would rather avoid restaurants for the moment. Hotels are likely to have plenty of rooms available because of the shortfall in foreign tourists.

As parks and mountain railways prepare to open, they are prioritising safety. The Arosa Bear SanctuaryExternal link in the eastern canton of Graubünden has designed a path that helps visitors keep a distance from each other. People planning to ride on JungfrauExternal link region trains in the Bernese Alps can book seats and even whole carriages for their families, to avoid contact with the public. Many holidaymakers prefer to avoid public transport, however, and drive to their holiday destinations instead.