Gradual recovery in the tourism sector
(16.03.2022) Tourism is slowly recovering from the pandemic crisis. The Swiss Tourism (ST) report for 2021 still shows a 25% drop in overnight stays compared to a comparably normal year like 2019.
The Swiss tourism industry was bolstered by an all-time record number of overnight stays booked by Swiss residents, with a 17% increase from 2019 (the pre-pandemic baseline). The comeback of European tourists is still limited: the decline in 2021 is 44% compared to 2019. France, Germany and the Benelux countries, meanwhile, reported declines of 23%, 34% and 42% respectively. The only increase in overnight stays (+5%) was for visitors from Poland.
Swiss hoteliers are seeing a drastic drop in the number of guests from countries further afield (-80% compared to 2019). Asian tourists were overwhelmingly absent last year.
However, winter 2021-2022 has given hope to hoteliers. Hospitality businesses are announcing a 25% increase in overnight stays compared to last season. Attendance at ski lifts and other attractions is expected to rise by 35%. Good weather conditions explain this positive trend. European payments more than doubled in the first seven weeks of 2022 compared to 2021.
Tourism professionals expect to return to normality in 2023. By then, the volume of overnight stays in 2022 should reach 84% of that generated in 2019. The number of Swiss visiting tourist sites is expected to decrease, while the number of European visitors is expected to increase. Tourists from countries further afield may still largely be absent for a few years.