Despite the strong local currency, Swiss hotels managed to welcome more guests last year than in the previous one.

Overnight stays totaled 36.2 million in 2010, accounting for an increase of 619,000 stays – or 1.7 per cent – over 2009, as the Swiss Hotel Association reported on Tuesday.

Although the strong Swiss franc meant fewer European guests (-2 per cent), there was a boom in Chinese guests (+49 per cent) as well as an increase in visitors from India (+21 per cent) and the Gulf states (+13 per cent).

There were also more guests from within Switzerland: 2.2 per cent more to be precise.

The average visitor stayed for 2.2 nights. Those staying in canton Graubünden lingered longest (3.1 nights), while those in Fribourg, Neuchâtel and Jura moved on more quickly (1.7 nights).

With an increase of 8.1 per cent, the Zurich region enjoyed the strongest growth. Central Switzerland registered a 3.4 per cent rise in overnight stays.

Cantons Valais and Ticino experienced declines: -2.9 and -4.6 per cent respectively.

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