The Jungfraubahn lift company, which carries people to the top destination in the Bernese Alps, recorded a drop of more than 65% in visitors last year, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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Its visitors totalled only 362,800 people in 2020, compared with more than a million in 2019, including a large Asian clientele.
The carrier said on Tuesday that it had suffered from the “83 days of closure” imposed by restrictions to combat the pandemic. Nearly half of its 2020 visitors came during the summer months (153,000 people), and most of them were Swiss.
But the increased presence of Swiss tourists was not able to compensate for the absence of Asian customers. “In the summer months, around 95% of visitors came from Switzerland,” said Managing Director Urs Kessler, adding that with more local customers, “we have become more dependent on the weather”.
Meanwhile, businesses in winter sports stations report revenue down 11% during the end of year holiday season compared with the same period last year, according to a survey by Switzerland Tourism. They say that although many local people came, this did not make up for the relative absence of foreign visitors.
Protein in abdominal fat could help shape obesity treatment
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The study analysed fat cells from different locations in the body, and found that those in the abdomen have unique properties.
North African asylum claims fall after rapid Swiss processing
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The accelerated procedure, now out of its test phase, has resulted in a significant drop in applications from North African countries.
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The artist's song "The Code" focuses on their journey as a nonbinary individual. It is one of the favourites to win this year's contest.
Swiss climate activists block vehicles near Gotthard tunnel
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Around ten climate activists briefly blocked the A2 motorway near the northern entrance of the Gotthard tunnel on Thursday.
Watches belonging to Michael Schumacher up for auction
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Schumacher's family is auctioning off eight rare watches from his collection in Geneva. The Christie's auction will take place on Monday.
Joya Marleen and Baschi named best solo acts at Swiss Music Awards
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St. Gallen singer Joya Marleen and Baschi from Basel were named artists of the year at the Swiss Music Awards 2024 on Wednesday night.
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V-Cableway: Grindelwald’s construction controversy
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Could a large development project in Grindelwald mean the death of the last vestiges of the untouched landscape surrounding the Eiger North Face?
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However, the railway operators warned that a lack of snow in the current winter season has created challenges. Two of its other destinations in the popular resort of Grindelwald had to use artificial snow-making systems to get the ski season underway last month. Passengers using the railway purely to get to ski areas on the…
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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.