Hotel owners in Switzerland have reported a large boost in bookings for overnight stays for the first time since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The country saw 22,4 million overnight stays between May and October 2022, a 22 percent increase compared to 2021.
Data from the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO) shows that compared to the same period in 2021, the summer of 2022 saw 4 million more overnight stays. The dramatic increase in tourism has been blamed on the end of the majority of Swiss pandemic restrictions. While ski resorts and winter sports hotspots in the Swiss mountains still await the results of the current winter season, they are also expected to see a large boost in bookings.
Compared to 2019, stays are still down slightly though. The 2022 figures represent a 1,3 percent dip in overnight stays compared to 2019. The FSO noted that the quick end of COVID-19 restrictions in the spring led to a surge in foreign visitor numbers, despite border closures and logistical issues at airports.
While overseas visitors flocked to hotels in different Swiss cantons, residents in Switzerland opted to holiday elsewhere - or not at all! The number of overnight stays booked by Swiss residents dropped by six percent in 2022, with 11,9 million nights booked in the last year.
Many visitors to Switzerland came from continental Europe, with British holidaymakers also heading to the country in droves. British tourists booked 500.000 overnight stays in Switzerland, while 144.000 nights and 378.000 nights were booked by French and German citizens respectively. American citizens spent 1,2 million nights in Switzerland in 2022 in total.