Fewer Swiss holidaymakers travel to Trump’s US

The number of Swiss travelling to the United States on holiday has fallen Keystone / Laurent Gillieron

The number of Swiss vacationers to the United States fell sharply in February and March. The decline was particularly pronounced among young people and families, according to US government data.

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Is Donald Trump a bogeyman for the Swiss? The decline in travel to the US, which began in February, worsened in March.

Last month, the number of Swiss vacationers on vacation across the Atlantic fell by 34% compared to the same period last year, according to data released Tuesday by the US government. The data recorded 9,500 fewer tourists than in March 2024.

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From January 1 to March 31, the number of Swiss vacationers in the US decreased by 20% compared to last year. Other types of travel were not affected: study trips remained stable, and business trips even increased (+11.5%).

Fewer families

According to data from the International Trade Administration, the number of minors entering the country has almost halved, from 6,390 to 3,545 since the beginning of the year. These figures suggest that many families are avoiding the United States.

The decline is also marked among 18-24 year-olds (-20%), while the number of travelers over 65 years old remained stable.

According to the travel agency Hotelplan, the decline in bookings has worsened since the White House announced the new customs duties. Several tour operators contacted by Swiss public broadcaster RTS estimate that this decline in American bookings will continue at least until the summer holidays.

“The first suppliers have already responded to the drop in demand. For example, airlines are offering more attractive deals for summer and autumn. Hotels also have special offers, even for the peak season,” says Viviane Widmer, spokesperson for Hotelplan. It remains to be seen whether discounts will be enough to revive Swiss interest in the US.

Adapted from French with DeepL/mga

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