Flagging Swiss tourism industry gets a boost

Switzerland Tourism expects a 30 per cent drop in trade in the coming months Keystone

The Swiss government plans to provide a new cash injection of SFr10 million to the tourism industry, after the collapse of Swissair.

Switzerland Tourism is set to receive the boost to its 2002 budget in order to avoid short-term losses after the Swissair crisis deprived the country’s main tourism marketing body of a valuable partner.

Swissair and Switzerland Tourism have worked jointly to attract visitors from overseas. Over the last four years, they collaborated to promote Switzerland to American and Japanese tourists, the backbone of the Swiss tourism industry.

The September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States were a blow to the tourism and airline industries. Switzerland Tourism spokeswoman, Eva Brechtbühl told swissinfo that overnight stays booked by overseas visitors are expected to drop by a third in the coming year.

High costs

Switzerland Tourism is now facing additional costs to keep up its presence in these markets, and to maintain the infrastructure, personnel and contacts with travel agencies that have been lost since the Swiss national carrier was grounded last month.

The government wants to ensure the continued marketing of Switzerland overseas and “about two thirds of the government cash package will be invested there,” Brechtbühl said.

However, the Swiss tourism industry is working to fill the gap left by fewer trans-Atlantic and Asian visitors. “We have just launched a huge winter campaign in European countries and in Switzerland to compensate the quite dramatic losses we expect to see from overseas countries,” Brechtbühl said.

The Swiss tourism industry is bracing for the worst and forecasting a 30 per cent drop in trade in the coming months. However generous the government’s handout is, Brechtbühl said it still would not fill the gap.

“More money is needed. The whole Swissair situation could result in a loss of roughly SFr1 billion so we won’t be able to compensate all sectors,” Brechtbühl cautioned.

A little cheer

The positive outlook for the skiing season has brought some cheer to the industry, Brechtbühl said.

“The ski season is looking good, especially in the classic winter resorts. We have information that for Christmas, New Year as well as the winter sports holidays during February mainly, the hotels seem to have rather good bookings.”

The Swiss are looking to stave off job losses and firm closures by encouraging those not willing to board a plane, namely Europeans who are able to drive or take a train to come to Switzerland this festive season.

“We are strengthening marketing in the Europe as part of our Winter campaign,” Brechtbühl said. “And we are also telling the Swiss to stay at home and vacation in Swiss mountains.”

In the long term, Switzerland Tourism hopes to develop programmes together with the new national airline which is due to come into being next year “and be strong in the market again together,” Brechtbühl said.

The latest cash investment brings the government credit to Switzerland Tourism to SFr200 million ($120 million) for the period 2000 to 2004.

by Samantha Tonkin and Adam Beaumont