Data shows dramatic impact of Covid on Swiss tourism

Mountain railways and other tourism infrastructure was closed during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in Switzerland. © Keystone/Valentin Flauraud

Official figures have confirmed the economic shock to Swiss tourism caused by the Covid-19 pandemic last year.

Revenue from international tourism fell by almost 48% to CHF9.4 billion ($10.3 billion), reaching the same level seen in the early 1990s, the Federal Statistics Office said on Monday.

At the same time, Swiss residents spent about CHF9.7 billion on trips abroad last year – a drop of nearly 50%.

Hotel and catering was the hardest hit industry after the government imposed travel restrictions and ordered the temporary closure of restaurants and non-essential shops from March to June 2020.

The number of overnight stays of foreign tourists nosedived by 56%, while consumer spending by cross-border workers and people with short-residency status decreased to a lesser extent, a statementExternal link said.

Expenditure not related to hotel stays plummeted by a third, resulting in a drop in revenue of about CHF2 billion.

Last October a senior official of the economics ministry said he expected Swiss tourism to suffer from the impact of the Covid pandemic until 2024.