Tourist spending hit by downturn in 2009
Swiss tourism was hit by the economic downturn in 2009, with spending inside and outside Switzerland down on previous years.
Foreign tourists coming to Switzerland spent SFr15 billion ($13.5 billion) – a drop of 3.8 per cent compared with 2008, according to provisional figures from the Federal Statistics Office.
Swiss travelling abroad also tightened their belts, spending SFr11.5 billion (-2.4 per cent).
It resulted in the first fall in the Swiss tourism balance of payments since 2003, at SFr316 million less than in 2008.
Around two-thirds of the income generated inside Switzerland was spent on accommodation. While spending by holiday-makers and business travellers was down by 7.9 per cent, income from visitors on educational or medical trips was up by 6.5 per cent.
Swiss spending abroad dropped for the second year in a row. Overnight stays fell by 4.1 per cent to SFr9 billion.
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