Tourism in Switzerland, soon to test Brexit

Swiss tourism may soon have to deal with the collapse of the pound, a result of the referendum on Brexit in the UK. The statement, made by the vice president of Switzerland Tourism Urs Eberhard to press agency ATS, also makes it clear that the canton Valais would suffer more the drop in overnight stays than others.

In 2015, British tourists totaled about 1.6 million overnight stays, 8.4% of foreign travelers. After Germans and Americans the British represent the third largest market for the branch of the Swiss tourism and precisely prefer the Valais, especially in winter and in summer opt for the Bernese Oberland, Geneva and Zurich.

Damian Constantin, Director of Promotion Wallis, thinks it is still too early to make predictions about the consequences of Brexit for the hospitality sector in his canton. What is safe, he said, is that increased insecurity, real poison for the sector.

Even in the Grisons insecurity rose following the British vote and the decline of the pound, as indicated by the responsible cantonal tourism, Miriam Keller, and that although the British represent only about 3% of overnight stays. In Keller's opinion, general insecurity about the future development of the economic situation could lead to a general decrease of the foreign guests. Hopefully that at least the Swiss tourists, great lovers of the Rhaetian mountains, remain faithful. Even the Lucerne region in the long term expects a decline in the presence of British tourists.

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