Switzerland Tourism recently hosted a press conference in Mumbai to promote their Grand Tour of Switzerland in a bid to draw more numbers from India in 2015. According to Urs Eberhard, Executive Vice President, International Markets & MICE, Switzerland Tourism, the strategy for the year is to draw more FIT, highlight more experiences, encourage longer stay durations, extend the seasons, and focus on differentiating assets in Switzerland to further promote the destination.
Divulging the differentiating assets the Tourism Board is planning to highlight, Eberhard listed mountains, boutique towns, sustainability and environment, quality, incentive travel, winter tourism, and diversity. In fact, he added, the destination is celebrating 150 years of winter tourism this year.
The Grand Tour of Switzerland is charted across 1600 kms, a journey across the nation along one route, encompassing all the differentiating aspects of Switzerland. The route includes destinations already popular among Indian travellers, such as Zurich, Egadin St. Moritz, Ticino, Lake Geneva and Lucerne, as well as emerging cities such as Davos Klosters.
Switzerland Tourism also took this opportunity to highlight products such as the Victoria Jungfrau Collection of hotels, the train system under the Grand Train Tour, Rhaetian Railways, Mount Pilatus railways, and the newly renovated Alp Grum accommodation.
Lake Geneva, which recently saw an Indian wedding take place at the destination, is now looking to tap this new potential market. Lucerne saw an 8.5 per cent in Indian arrivals in 2014, and is even introducing an Indian dinner cruise from April to September 2015, revealed Mark Meier, Market Manager Asia Pacific/Middle East, Lucern Tourism.
Furthermore, Pilatus Luzern is getting a new cable car ‘Dragon Ride’ connecting Fräkmüntegg to Pilatus Kulm, as well as a new self service restaurant.
Eberhard further listed a 3000m suspension bridge Peak Walk in the Lake Geneva Region, new hotels across the destination and an Ice Magic ice world attraction in Interlaken as the new developments in Switzerland.
