Tourism in Switzerland has suffered its worst decline since the 1950s.

Statistics released by the Federal Statistical Office on February 19th show that the number of overnight visitors to Switzerland in 2020 decreased by 40% compared to 2019 – a record drop since the late 1950s. Demand from foreign tourists fell by 66%, while demand from domestic visitors decreased less significantly at 8.6%.

The Swiss tourism industry has suffered greatly from the closure of businesses for months at a time, with very few European visitors and virtually no foreign tourists. Even the number of Swiss residents staying overnight during the summer months, which is common in the highlands with their famous ski resorts, has not been enough to compensate for the losses.

Switzerland began lockdowns in the spring of 2020 and eased restrictions in the summer, before tightening again in late autumn as a second wave of COVID-19 infections swept the country. Switzerland currently still requires restaurants and cafes to remain temporarily closed until April 2021. However, ski resorts remain open.

Switzerland Tourism CEO Martin Nydegger stated that the new sustainable tourism strategy, Swisstainable, is of "special importance." All sustainably oriented tourism providers can join the Swisstainable program from May 2021 and will receive a special emblem.

Cat with a Cracked Skin