Swiss Tourism 2024: Trends and Outlook 2025

Switzerland is one of the most sought-after travel markets in the world, known for its high purchasing power and travel-loving population. Thanks to our office in Zurich, we have our finger on the pulse of this dynamic market and can observe trends in real time. We use this insider knowledge to offer our clients tailor-made and efficient strategies that help them to operate successfully in this market.

Although official figures are not yet available, all indicators point to another record year for the Swiss travel market in 2024. Despite ongoing inflation, spending on travel in Switzerland continues to rise. Exciting trends are also emerging: rising demand for Northern Europe, a shift in the summer season to the fall and a growing awareness of overtourism. In the following article, we draw an initial conclusion for the Swiss travel year 2024 and take a look at the expected developments in 2025.

Interim balance sheet 2024

The year 2023 was a record year with expenditure of around CHF 20.2 billion on international travel, an increase of 12% compared to the previous year. These figures illustrate the strong recovery of the travel market, which even exceeded the pre-pandemic peaks.

Forecasts for 2024 were mixed despite a high propensity to travel. The industry faced challenges such as persistent inflation and rising travel costs, which had a particular impact on transportation and accommodation prices. Nevertheless, a successful year was expected, supported by stable demand and flexible framework conditions such as improved flight connections and easier visa requirements in many countries.

In summer 2024, the Swiss travel industry showed a rather stagnant development. After subdued demand at the start of the season, booking figures and sales finally reached the level of 2023 thanks to a final spurt in July. A rainy June and the end of the European Football Championship boosted the beach holiday business in particular. While traditional destinations such as Spain, Greece and Turkey continued to dominate, interest in more northerly destinations such as Scandinavia and North America grew.

The positive trend continued in the fall: More and more bookings are being transferred to this season and sales are expected to increase by 5-10% compared to the previous year. Despite the wars in the Middle East, travel to the country on the Nile is in demand. The top destination for fall vacations is Egypt, ahead of Turkey and Mauritius.

Trends 2024 – Off to the north

One outstanding travel trend in 2024 that major Swiss tour operators have identified is the “coolcation”. More and more Swiss people prefer cool summer destinations in the northern regions of Europe, particularly Scandinavia and the UK. These destinations offer a pleasant alternative to the hot southern vacation destinations and are known for their impressive nature and culture. In addition, the Swiss Travel Association, together with Allianz Insurance, identified other important trends in the travel culture of the Swiss for 2024 .

Wanderlust vs. proximityDream destinations such as Canada, Australia, Japan and the USA remained popular, but Italy, Germany and France were the main destinations for the Swiss, as in the previous year.

Natural disasters & heatAwareness of extreme weather events in the south is growing, which partly influenced travel decisions.

Change in travel timesMany Swiss considered moving traditional summer destinations to spring or fall to escape the rising temperatures.

OvertourismThere is a growing awareness of the negative effects of overtourism in the Swiss travel market. Almost half are prepared to spend more or forego destinations in order to avoid overtourism.

Longer stays and higher budget: Swiss travelers invested more money in their vacations and stayed longer at their destinations. This often involved higher hotel categories and longer stays.

Outlook 2025

The booking season for the 2025 travel year is already off to a strong start and demand for long-haul travel is high, despite global political uncertainties and increasing price sensitivity among customers. Thanks to a stable price trend, especially for long-haul flights, many Swiss are already deciding to travel long-haul in 2024 for the coming year. This wave of bookings will be further boosted by the cool autumn weather and the longing for sunny destinations.

The low price level for long-haul flights makes long-haul travel more attractive for many Swiss, which is why the travel industry recommends booking early in order to benefit from the current prices and a wide range of offers.
The Swiss tour operator Kuoni, which specializes in luxury and long-haul travel, has already recorded an 8% increase in sales compared to the previous year. Destinations such as the Maldives, Phuket and Majorca are particularly popular, but northern destinations such as Finland are also gaining in popularity. Travel to Asia and more specialized offers such as golf trips are showing an increase of up to 54%, confirming that 2025 is likely to be another year of growth and stability for the Swiss travel market.

The Swiss Hotelplan Group confirms similar trends: Sri Lanka is among the top destinations for 2025 for customers looking for tailor-made trips away from the classic routes. This destination impresses with its spectacular nature and cultural diversity. Africa is also growing in popularity, especially Tanzania, which offers a unique combination of safari adventure and relaxation on pristine beaches.

However, Tunisia is a particularly popular trend destination in Africa, with Hotelplan reporting a double-digit increase in bookings compared to 2024. Oman is also on the upswing, boosted by expanded flight connections, including Edelweiss, which is also leading to significant growth in booking figures.

The Swiss Travel Association has also identified initial trends for 2025. Destinations such as Cartagena and Bogotá in Colombia, Washington D.C. in the USA and Toronto in Canada are particularly popular. These destinations are benefiting from a significant increase in bookings, which is further boosted by the lower prices for long-haul flights compared to previous years

In 2025, SBB will also significantly boost Swiss outbound tourism through several strategic measures. The expansion of direct connections to popular tourist destinations, new overnight connections on long-distance services and extended cross-border services will make travel even more convenient and attractive for Swiss tourists. The introduction of additional night trains in particular should appeal to environmentally conscious and young travelers.

Trends 2025 – Travel planning is in your cell phone and in the stars

The German tour operator TUI has conducted surveys to identify a number of travel trends for 2025 in the German market that are also likely to influence the Swiss market. These trends are already reflected in current discussions in the Swiss media.

Social media as a source of inspirationMore and more travelers are finding inspiration for new destinations through social media, especially Instagram and TikTok. Influencers and viral trends play a major role.

Multi-generational travelVacations for the whole family, including grandparents, are becoming more popular. These trips emphasize shared experiences and allow for deeper bonding across generations.

Solo travelTraveling alone is gaining popularity, especially among younger generations. The freedom to design your own trip is an important factor.

Domestic travel or “backyard tourism”In view of environmental awareness and the practical advantages, more and more vacations are being planned at home, both for short breaks and longer trips.

BleisureThe merging of business and leisure travel is becoming increasingly important as more and more commuters extend their trips for relaxation and exploration.

Astro-TravelTravel destinations are increasingly being selected according to astrological recommendations. Travelers now plan their vacations partly based on astrological factors such as zodiac signs or moon phases.

In addition, a second study by Hotels.com, in which 2000 Swiss people also took part, shows similar trends, but also additional findings:

Set jettingFans travel to the locations of their favorite films and series to experience the sets up close.

Famous hotel restaurantsGourmet experiences in famous hotel restaurants are attracting more and more travelers.

All-inclusiveGeneration Z in particular is showing a growing interest in stress-free vacations that offer everything.

Natural phenomenaTravel to observe breathtaking natural phenomena such as the Northern Lights or volcanic eruptions.

Unknown destinationsTravelers avoid well-known hotspots and discover less touristy places.

DetourDetours to unexplored destinations on the way to the main destination are becoming increasingly popular.

JOMO (Joy of Missing Out)Travel for relaxation and recreation without excessive activities.

Conclusion

The travel year 2025 promises to be a year of continued dynamism and exciting developments for the Swiss market. Based on the trends and results from 2024, the market is stable and continues to grow strongly. Demand for long-haul and luxury travel remains robust, and established providers such as Kuoni are recording significant increases in sales. This is complemented by SBB’s strategic expansion in rail travel, which appeals particularly to environmentally conscious travelers and further increases flexibility for Swiss tourists.

In 2025, travel behavior will be shaped by a number of special trends: The younger generation is increasingly looking for social media inspiration and all-inclusive offers, while natural phenomena and set-jetting inspired by films and series are gaining popularity. Astrological inspiration for travel planning and the combination of business and leisure travel (“bleisure”) are also emerging as interesting developments.

Overall, the Swiss market is positioning itself as stable and adaptable in an environment of global uncertainty and rising travel costs. The clear trend towards high-quality, sustainable and experience-oriented travel points to solid growth potential for 2025, which both established and innovative providers can exploit.

The KLEBER GROUP offers tourism companies a valuable platform for establishing a presence in the Swiss market. With an office in Zurich, our partners benefit from in-depth market knowledge and a comprehensive network that provides access to key decision-makers and the media.

We help our partners to develop customized PR strategies that are tailored to the specific needs and trends of the Swiss market. This enables tourism providers to meet the high expectations of travelers from Switzerland and compete successfully. Let’s work together to make your brand visible in the heart of Europe and inspire the Swiss!