Switzerland Tourism Reports Increase in U.S., Canadian Visitors

Switzerland Tourism Reports Increase in U.S., Canadian Visitors

The latest numbers of Switzerland’s arrivals and overnight statistics show that American and Canadian travelers are back in Switzerland. The number of nights Americans and Canadians spent in Swiss hotels in the summer season of 2010, from May through August, shows a growth of 10.2 percent (U.S.) and 7.9 percent (Canada) compared to summer 2009.

Swiss hotels reported an even higher growth rate of 13.1 percent for arrivals of U.S. travelers during the summer 2010. For the year 2010 until the end of August, Switzerland Tourism reports a growth of nights spent in Swiss hotels by 8.2 percent (U.S.) and growth of arrivals by 10 percent (U.S.). On average, U.S. and Canadian travelers spent 2.3 nights in Swiss hotels in the first eight months of 2010.

“Traditionally the numbers of North American travelers during the winter months are considerable lower than in summer, so we’re especially excited to see these double-digit growth rates for Switzerland over the summer,” said Alex Herrmann, director of Switzerland Tourism in North America. The upward trend started already in the fourth quarter of 2009 and accelerated in the spring and summer of this year, with a strong July (7.6 percent growth in overnights from the U.S.; 11.4 percent from Canada) and August (with growth rates of 11.6 percent for U.S. visitors and 7.9 percent for Canadians).

“Switzerland has long been very popular with travelers from the U.S. and Canada,” said Herrmann. “The U.S. is Switzerland’s fourth most important foreign travel market ­- and if this positive development continues, it will be number three again soon.”