Switzerland Going Natural to Woo Travelers Amid Economy Woes

Speaking at the 2009 Swiss Travel Mart in Lucerne, Jurg Schmid, CEO of Switzerland Tourism, poked fun at his country’s reputation for manicured perfection. “Just to be clear, we don’t iron our flags or do sound checks on the bells on our cows,” he said.

Schmid added, however, that the fact that Swiss travel suppliers take pride in the quality of their product is no joke. Coming off a record year in 2008, Switzerland’s best in history, the predictions for 2009 and 2010 are sobering.

Preliminary numbers show a drop of about 5 percent in the first quarter of 2009, with a steeper decline of up to 7.5 percent predicted for the next two years.

The new parks include Parc Ela in Graubunden, the Lake Thun-Hohgant Regional Nature Park and the Zurich-Sihlwald Nature Discovery Park. MySwitzerland.com describes the parks in detail and offers related information on hotels, access and other amenities for easy trip planning.

Switzerland Tourism is also promoting a new network of Typically Swiss Hotels, which can be new or historical, with modern or traditional interiors, but all of which feature exteriors that typify the look and ambience of the Switzerland brand.

Family travel continues to be a strong market, according to Alex Hermann, North America director of Switzerland Tourism, noting that several operators are including Swiss products for families in their lineups.

In response to the global economic crisis, Switzerland Tourism didn’t so much change its marketing plans as ramp up communication efforts with operators and agents, stressing affordability.