Switzerland becomes an all-year-round travel destination for Indian tourists

Hyderabad: Switzerland Tourism — the tourism board for Switzerland — recently held an event in Hyatt Place, Hyderabad to throw some light on emerging travel trends seen among Indian tourists post the pandemic that will drive travel to the country in the near future.

Switzerland has always been an aspirational and much-frequented summer destination among Indian tourists. Despite the pandemic-related challenges, the country has shown good recovery post-COVID.

Among the top trends noted are that from once being regarded as only a summer destination, Switzerland is now being visited by Indian tourists through all the seasons, especially during autumn but also during winter.

“Travel is more spread out now in Switzerland than ever- 2023 was even better than 2019 in the number of overnights spent in Switzerland - we are seeing sold-out accommodations and pre-booked activities for summer, winter and ski destinations. From India , we are seeing more experiential travellers visiting the country post the pandemic – those who stay longer, who immerse themselves in the local culture as well as use the public travel system to traverse the country thus fitting into our objective of making tourism more sustainable,” said Simon Bosshart, Chief Markets Officer for East Markets who was hosting the press conference.

Indians mostly travel to cities like Zurich, Lucerne and Interlaken but have been diversifying to also visit places like Zermatt – the home of the Matterhorn (Switzerland’s most famous mountain) as well the Italian speaking region of Ticino.

“What attracts tourists year after year to Switzerland is the fact that it is a responsible, sustainable travel destination that respects the travellers’ time, is clean, organised and above all, abundantly blessed with nature’s beauty. We see more individual and small groups travelling post covid most of who are spending their entire holiday in just one country. We have also noted an increased influx of Indian travellers from Tier II/III Indian cities in the last couple of years, which is another encouraging trend,” said Ritu Sharma, Deputy Director and Marketing Head, Switzerland Tourism - India.

Switzerland has also become a sought-after destination among sustainable travellers, thanks to its eco-friendly practices that prioritise clean and green living, clean air quality and nature conservation. Local public transport, also known as the Swiss Travel System, is renowned globally because it is always on time, well-connected and super-efficient. With one travel pass, travellers have access in over 90 cities and towns across the country and over 500 museums connected through an extensive network of buses, trains, and boats.

The culinary culture in the country encourages different cooking methods for energy conservation, mindful sourcing of local ingredients, and innovative technologies to reduce food wastage.

Another evolving trend that Switzerland Tourism has seen over the last few years is that while, earlier, a lot of big groups of friends and families travelled to the country, Switzerland has now transformed into an equally enticing destination for Free Independent Travelers (FITs), as well as travelers who are looking for more active and outdoorsy holidays.

Switzerland Tourism has also tied up with Neeraj Chopra as their friendship ambassador – Neeraj who is known for his love for nature and adventure has been able to showcase the various activities that are available in Switzerland for the adventure lovers.