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Tourism Strategy of the Swiss Confederation

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On 10 November 2021, the Federal Council adopted the Confederation’s Tourism Strategy. It provides the basis for the federal government's tourism policy and continues the strategic direction of the previous, proven strategy.

The Federal Tourism Strategy is now available as a printed report on the platform www.bundespublikationen.admin.ch .

Tourism Strategy of the Swiss Confederation (PDF, 12 MB, 25.10.2022)

Objectives and action items of the Federal Government Tourism Strategy

The objectives determine the strategic direction of the Federal Government’s Tourism Strategy, address the challenges faced by the Swiss tourism industry, and in the long term also reflect the federal government’s vision for tourism. The objectives of the previous Tourism Strategy of the Swiss Confederation have been retained. These are to improve framework conditions, promote entrepreneurship, exploit the opportunities presented by digitalisation, and enhance the appeal of tourism offerings and Switzerland’s market presence. A new objective – backing sustainable development – has been added to this updated Strategy, recognising the increasing importance of sustainable development to tourism, and the many opportunities that it presents.

Action items

The objectives are achieved by means of action items, a total of 15 of which have been determined. Action areas determine priorities. This means that, unlike objectives, action items are not final. They can be amended and extended as needed to achieve the objectives, thereby ensuring that the Federal Government’s Tourism Strategy is agile and capable of both action and reaction. Action items have a medium to long time horizon, but may run indefinitely. Some of them tackle ongoing tasks under the Tourism Strategy.

Funding instruments

The four tourism strategy funding instruments are key to achieving its objectives. These are Innotour (promoting innovation, cooperation and knowledge creation in tourism), the Swiss Association for Hotel Credit (SGH), Switzerland Tourism (ST) and the New Regional Policy (NRP). An application for funding for these instruments is submitted to Parliament every four years along with the Dispatch on Promotion Activities. Innotour has CHF 30 million and Swiss Tourism CHF 230 million in funding available for the current 2020–2023 promotion period. The NRP has CHF 200 million in loans that it can grant for investments, and CHF 120 million in grants to cover sunk costs associated with projects with a regional economic impact. The financing activities of the SGH are based on an existing federal financing facility of CHF 236 million.

The following four principles underlie the Federal Government’s Tourism Strategy: Prioritisation , Implementation , Target group focus and Subsidiarity .

Reports on the Tourism Strategy

Tourismusbericht 2021, Schlussbericht (in german) (PDF, 2 MB, 09.11.2021)

Auswirkungen Covid-19 auf Investitionskraft des Schweizer Tourismus, Zusammenfassung der Analyseergebnisse (in german) (PDF, 1 MB, 09.11.2021)

Unterstützung Lageanalyse Tourismusstrategie (in german) (PDF, 5 MB, 09.11.2021)

Auslegeordnung zur Berücksichtigung der nachhaltigen Entwicklung in der Tourismuspolitik des Bundes (in german) (PDF, 6 MB, 09.11.2021)

Investitionen im Ferientourismus - Auslegeordnung zu Investitionen und deren Finanzierung in Schweizer Feriendestinationen (in german) (PDF, 3 MB, 09.11.2021)

Strukturwandel bei touristischen Klein- und Familienbetrieben (in german) (PDF, 4 MB, 09.11.2021)

Alternativen zur Bankfinanzierung für touristische Unternehmen - Vertiefungsarbeiten im Rahmen der Auslegeordnung Investitionsförderung (in german) (PDF, 4 MB, 29.11.2021)

Evaluation tourismuspolitische Massnahmenpaket 2013 (in german) (PDF, 1 MB, 09.11.2021)

Last modification 18.10.2023

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The Board of Directors

Find out more about:, brigitta m. gadient.

President of Switzerland Tourism, President of the University of Applied Sciences Graubünden (FHGR), Vice President of the Swiss Red Cross

Catherine Mühlemann

Vice President of Switzerland Tourism, Media Entrepreneur, Executive Board Member Somedia AG

Jörg Arnold

Director of Storchen Zurich, Director of Widder Zurich, member of the Board of Directors of HotellerieSuisse, member of the Board of Directors of Zurich Tourism

Eric A. Balet

Deputy Director of Téléverbier SA, member of the Board of Directors of Swiss Cableways

Markus Binkert

CFO of Swiss International Airlines Ltd.

Marcus Caduff

Member of the Government Council (GR), Department of Economy and Social Services

Cornelia Mellenberger

Head of Long-Distance Services, Member of the Management Board Passenger Division (as of 19.08.2020)

Gilles Meystre

Member of the Board of Directors of GastroSuisse, President of GastroVaud and “Label Fait Maison”, member of the cantonal Parliament (VD)

Marcel Perren

Director of Lucerne Tourism (until 31.12.2020)

Aldo Rampazzi

President of Agenzia turistica ticinese SA

Stefan Roth

CEO, Owner of cbRoth GmbH

Thomas Steiner

CEO of Immotour GmbH

Anja Wyden Guelpa

Director of civicLab, independent board member

Resignations 2020

Jeannine Pilloud

Chairperson and CEO of Ascom Holding AG (until 18.08.2020)

Entries 2021

Damian Constantin

President of Conference of Regional Tourism Directors in Switzerland, Director of Wallis/Valais Promotion (as of 01.01.2021)

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The Switzerland Tourism Organisation

The national marketing organisation aims to grow demand for Switzerland as a travel and convention destination domestically and worldwide, as part of its federal mandate.

“Always keep your vision in mind”

Brigitta M. Gadient took over as President of Switzerland Tourism in 2020 – at a time of great social and economic uncertainty.

Setting the right tone

In 2020, the world was turned on its head. There was a tremendous yearning to travel, but also uncertainty in equal measure. Suitable and well-timed marketing was needed.

In focus 2020

Global recovery campaign

Switzerland Tourism responded to the worldwide travel restrictions with empathy, striking marketing activities and attractive offers.

Cities campaign stepped up

Cities, which were disproportionately affected, were supported by means of attractively priced offers directed at specific target groups.

New umbrella campaign

Switzerland Tourism rolled out the new umbrella campaign, “I need Switzerland.” in summer 2020.

In contact thanks to social media

Switzerland remained in people’s thoughts despite the lockdown – thanks to established social media accounts, a new TikTok presence and pin extensions.

This is the Annual Report 2020. You will find the Annual Report 2023 here .

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They are numerous and unforgettable: Pay a quick visit to an enchanted castle or a first-class museum, gaze at breathtaking glaciers and stunning mountains, pass palm trees and grotti and so much more... The passion for discovery seems unstoppable, as countless other Swiss attractions offer unique experiences.

Top Attractions

Pay a quick visit to an enchanted castle or a first-class museum, gaze at breathtaking glaciers and stunning mountains, pass palm trees and grotti and so much more... The passion for discovery seems unstoppable, as countless other Swiss attractions offer unique experiences.

Matterhorn (4,478 a.s.l.) - Symbol for Switzerland

The rhine falls, aletsch - the largest alpine glacier, creux du van, jungfraujoch.

UNESCO World Heritage sites are witnesses to the history of earth and mankind. They tell the story of the country’s formation and are part of the Swiss identity. Each one of these places stands for authenticity, quality and diversity across generations.

The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier

Prehistoric pile dwellings around the alps, biosfera val müstair, la chaux-de-fonds / le locle, watchmaking town planning, tectonic arena sardona.

Switzerland is proud of its diversity of museums: Thematically they range from art and culture, to history, customs and crafts, and to many other peculiarities which will amaze and amuse visitors.

Swiss Museum of Transportation

Swiss science center technorama, maison cailler, fondation beyeler, zentrum paul klee, advertisement.

Switzerland is a country rich in cultural gems. Some of these cultural assets are centuries old, such as many of the churches, sights and traditional customs. Others, including paradigms of modern architecture and urban design, symbolise the progressive nature of our country.

Medieval town Gruyères

Zürich west - from industrial to trend-setting district, abbey of st. gall, chapel bridge and water tower, maienfeld – heidi's world.

The most comfortable and relaxing way of discovering Switzerland is by train, boat or bus. A panoramic rail trip through the Alpine scenery, a romantic boat trip on a river or an excursion with a nostalgic paddle steamer on one of the famous Swiss lakes can be an unforgettable experience.

Glacier Express

Goldenpass panoramic, gotthard panorama express, luzern–interlaken express, bernina express, grand tour of switzerland.

From palm-lined lakeshores to sparkling glaciers, from medieval villages to buzzing cities – the Grand Tour of Switzerland packs in an incredible number of sights. The concentration of attractions is unrivalled worldwide.

Eastern Route

From CHF 470 for 5 nights

Western Route

From CHF 550 for 5 nights

Northern Route

From CHF 540 for 5 nights

Original Grand Tour

From CHF 870 for 8 nights

Chosen for you

Chase attractions in the towns and cities, treats for the taste buds guaranteed, travel for less, surrounded by fragrant scents, spectacular views with minimal effort, on the trail of historic treasures, all aboard, more topics.

The Swiss Parks are exceptional places, where local people are dedicated to maintaining their glorious landscapes, lively traditions and sustainable regional economies. Genuine natural experiences, fascinating stories and delicious regional specialities are just waiting to be discovered.

Historic Switzerland

Switzerland’s castles and palaces are a delight with flower-filled gardens, lofty battlements and awe-inspiring medieval halls. Take a journey back in time and immerse yourself in a bygone age.

Train, Bus, Boat – Panoramic journeys

Feel the magic - from glaciers to vineyards. Get aboard and start marvelling.

City Breaks

Swiss cities never fail to impress visitors by their scope. Nowhere are attractions, cultural centres, innovative gastronomy, insider's tips and new favourite places in such close proximity as in Switzerland. Explore our cities like Zurich, Basel and Geneva on foot and discover their charm and authenticity.

Art Museums of Switzerland

A visit to one of the Art Museums of Switzerland pledges a unique experience with amazing art, design and photography.

The magic of beautiful places

Discover hidden gems Visit 50 selected villages that represent the cultural and architectural diversity of our country and are included in the Federal Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites (ISOS). These exceptional villages can be found in all cantons and parts of the country and wonderfully explored along the Grand Tour of Switzerland.