In all, 14.6 million overnight stays were recorded in Swiss hotels and other accommodation for the November 2021-April 2022 period, the Federal Statistical Office reportedExternal link on Tuesday.
This represents a 54% (+5.1 million) increase compared with the 2020/2021 winter season.
Foreign guests returned to Switzerland in large numbers last winter, representing a 197% increase or +3.7 million more overnight stays than the previous winter season. The total number rose to 5.6 million. Foreign visitors came mostly from Germany, Britain, France, the United States, Italy and the Netherlands.
During the 2020/2021 winter season, strict pandemic travel restrictions prevented foreign travellers from entering Switzerland.
The statistics office said domestic demand had also gone up last winter by 18.9%, or +1.4 million additional overnight stays, taking the total to nine million which represents a new record.
All mountain regions saw more visitors. Overnight stays in the Bernese Oberland rose by 47%, while Valais (+41%) and Graubünden (32%) also witnessed big increases.
City breaks were also popular last winter. Overnight stays were up in Geneva (+189%), Zurich (+152%) and Basel (112%).
Overnight stays in the Swiss Alps for the 2021/2021 winter season were higher than for the comparable period in 2019/2020 before the pandemic, the office said. However, overnight stays for cities are still down: -7.6% (Basel region) and -6.1% (Zurich region).
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