Switzerland tries to flatten out peaks of Alpine visitors
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According to a survey carried out by Switzerland Tourism, only 5 per cent of Swiss people are concerned about tourism.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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ZURICH - Switzerland’s tourism agency said on July 4 that it was trying to even out the flow of holiday-makers throughout the year to protect the Alpine country from the risks of excessive tourism.
Switzerland Tourism said it would seek to highlight the off seasons and promote destinations off the beaten track.
Agency officials told a news conference in Zurich that it wanted to direct holiday-makers to “the right places, at the right time”.
There is “no problem of general over-tourism in Switzerland”, said its chief Martin Nydegger, though there are “temporary and localised bottlenecks, well known to the industry”.
The village of Iseltwald in central Switzerland, for example, suddenly saw Asian tourists flocking to the shores of Lake Brienz in 2023, after the huge success of the South Korean Netflix series Crash Landing On You.
The village of 400 inhabitants decided to impose a fee of five Swiss francs (S$7.50) on tourists wanting to go on the pontoon for a picture where a romantic scene was filmed.
Mr Nydegger said the Swiss generally had a positive opinion of the industry. An agency survey showed that only 5 per cent are concerned about tourism.
Mr Damian Constantin, head of the conference of directors of regional tourist offices, said: “The strength of the Swiss franc is already one defence because it limits access to mass tourism.”
The high cost of living also makes Switzerland an expensive destination to visit, further curbing the risk of over-tourism, he said.
Mr Nydegger said Switzerland Tourism nonetheless wants to be proactive in protecting a sector that generates 43 billion francs a year and 4.5 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product.
The agency plans to work with tour operators to offer packages off the beaten track, like hiking trails and electric bike tours at the luxury winter ski resort of Davos-Klosters, promoted with the help of Chinese online content creators.
It has launched campaigns to promote tourism during the autumn to extend the summer season. “The diversity of Switzerland is highlighted worldwide so that travellers can spread out better, immerse themselves deeper and stay longer,” the agency said. AFP
