The Swiss tourist board has pledged to “intensify” its travel trade partnerships in the UK to help it reach its sustainability goals.
Switzerland Tourism said a “stellar” December – with double-digit growth in hotel overnights from the UK – helped make 2023 the most successful year for travel from the British market in more than a decade.
There were 1.7 million hotel overnights in 2023, culminating in a “very strong” December and a 2.8% increase compared to pre-Covid times in 2019.
The tourist board said hotspots included Geneva and Zurich, helped by a resurgence in business tourism, as well as the Lake Lucerne region in central Switzerland, which saw the strongest growth of any Swiss holiday destination.
More: Agents will play ‘vital role’ in promoting Switzerland as autumn destination
Alex Herrmann, Switzerland Tourism UK and Ireland director, said: “In our marketing activities, our goal is to encourage our visitors to ‘travel better’.
“This means, for example, promoting specific regions and seasons to potential travellers, and, as part of our Swisstainable initiative, to help them to travel as sustainably as possible.
“Also, for the UK market, we will further intensify our collaboration with the travel trade, particularly tour operators who can help us to achieve these goals.”
Switzerland’s panoramic trains are becoming popular with British holidaymakers, including in the off-peak seasons.
Several British tour operators added new tours after Covid, some of which include train travel from London St Pancras to Switzerland via Paris. There has been an increasing focus on summer in the Swiss Alps over the last few years, add the tourist board.
“We are keen to welcome more UK visitors in the late summer and autumn and share with them everything that Switzerland has to offer in these two seasons, whether it’s travelling on lesser-known panoramic trains or exploring all the beautiful Swiss cities and mountain destinations that UK visitors haven’t really been to yet,” added Herrmann.
Pictured: GoldenPass Express