Far more hotel beds were empty than usual in the first half of this year.
Keystone / Gian Ehrenzeller
The number of overnight stays in Swiss hotels practically halved in the first six months of the year. Covid-19 also hit demand for public transport, with passengers notching up a third of their normal distances by train in the past three months.
Hotels saw 9.9 million overnight stays from the start of the year until the end of June, a drop of 47.5% compared with the same period in 2019.
The year had started well for the hospitality industry, with January and February showing increases in guest numbers, before Covid-19 virtually shut the business for the next three months. Overnight stays plummeted 62% in March, 92% in April and 79% in May compared with the previous year.
The fall in numbers was particularly pronounced among foreign guests (minus 88% in the first half of 2020) compared with a quarter fewer domestic guests. June saw improvement, with 1.44 million overnight stays in Swiss hotels, but this was still 62% below 2019 numbers.
Not on track
The pandemic and subsequent lockdown also saw a 63.6% reduction in kilometres being clocked up by passenger trains between the start of March and the end of June. Freight transport was less affected, with almost 14% fewer kilometres being covered in the same period.
Should Switzerland take measures to support its struggling industries?
Industrial policies are back in fashion, not only in the United States but also in the EU. Should Switzerland, where various industries are struggling, draw inspiration from such policies?
As a Swiss Abroad, how do you feel about the emergence of more conservative family policies in some US states?
In recent years several US states have adopted more conservative policies on family issues, abortion and education. As a Swiss citizen living there, how do you view this development?
This content was published on
A committee of Switzerland’s House of Representatives has found the people’s initiative to limit fireworks too extreme, but has suggested a counter-proposal.
UN investigators report evidence of crimes in Syria and call for national dialogue
This content was published on
UN investigators in Geneva report ample evidence of crimes in Syria and urge the regime to follow through on its promise of a national dialogue.
Swiss Trade Union warns EU deal could threaten wages
This content was published on
The Swiss Trade Union Federation warns that the new bilateral agreement between Switzerland and the EU could threaten wage protection and public services.
Credit Suisse fines from Mozambique scandal to fund victims’ compensation
This content was published on
The fines imposed on Credit Suisse for the Mozambique scandal will be allocated to a fund for the victims, amounting to $105.5 million.
‘Confederation is a subsidy machine’: Swiss finance minister
This content was published on
The Swiss government is a machine for distributing subsidies to various actors in the country, says finance minister Karin Keller-Sutter.
Lack of funds ends third bid to salvage Säntis ship from Swiss lake
This content was published on
A third attempt to salvage the steamship Säntis, lying at the bottom of Lake Constance in Switzerland since 1933, has failed before it has even begun.
Nestlé Waters on trial in France over illegal waste dumps
This content was published on
Bottled water producer Nestlé Waters to stand trial, accused of illegally dumping waste and maintaining unauthorised dumps.
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.
Read more
More
Coronavirus hits Swiss train passenger numbers
This content was published on
The number of people taking trains in Switzerland has fallen since the outbreak of the coronavirus, resulting in a huge financial hit.
This content was published on
The main train stations in Bern and Zurich lacked their usual bustle on Monday morning, despite public transport returning largely to normal.
Geneva hotel sector feels devastating impact of Covid-19
This content was published on
The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc in Geneva’s hotel sector, which relies heavily on international visitors and conferences.
Swiss tourism numbers crash as jobless figures rise
This content was published on
The dramatic downturn was expected due to the government-imposed lockdown and border restrictions. The figures, released on Thursday, show that Swiss residents had also shunned hotels in their own country, having been urged to stay at home during the usually busy Easter weekend. The number of foreign tourists staying at Swiss hotels during March plummeted…
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.