Swiss hotels experienced a rise in occupancy during the summer season. From May to the end of October, overnight stays reached a record high of 24.4 million, marking a 1.6% increase compared to last year, driven by foreign demand. However, the summer season faced challenges due to severe weather conditions.
Foreign demand rose by 3.9% to reach 13 million overnight stays, outpacing domestic demand, which fell by 0.8% to 11.4 million. These figures are based on provisional data from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). Notably, foreign demand even exceeded the levels recorded in the summer of 2019 by 1.2%.
Americans represent a significant part of this demand, experiencing a 13.5% increase to 3 million overnight stays, the highest level since 1985. Meanwhile, Asia also saw a notable rise, reaching 2.9 million overnight stays, an increase of 5.9%. In contrast, European demand decreased slightly by 0.4%, totaling 6.6 million overnight stays.
The tourist season experienced severe weather, particularly in the mountains and Ticino. Despite these challenges, there was only a slight decrease of 1.4% in September. The following months, however, saw a recovery, with an increase of 0.3% in October, according to the data.
Looking at the trend in overnight stays from the beginning of the year, there has been a 1.7% increase compared to last year, totaling 37 million by the end of October.
The Federal Statistical Office (FSO) anticipates that the record of Swiss hotels for overnight stays for the entire year will be surpassed. In 2023, the local hotel industry has recorded a total of 41.8 million overnight stays.
The Luxury Tourism Segment Grows
By 2032, global sales in the luxury travel market are expected to double nearly. In Switzerland, the percentage of overnight stays in five-star hotels currently stands at around 8%, while these stays account for 25 to 30% of total revenue in the hospitality sector. Tourists in the luxury segment spend an average of CHF 630 per person daily. To fully capitalize on the growth of this segment, Switzerland Tourism (ST), the national promotion body, has decided to implement a global strategy to develop the luxury travel market in Switzerland further.
ST identifies several “source markets of the future,” which include countries and regions such as Argentina, South Africa, Southeast Europe, Turkey, Iran, and Israel. ST does not have a subsidiary in these areas. Until recently, these markets presented interesting potential, which justified occasional activities coordinated from ST headquarters in collaboration with local partners.
