More and more tourists are travelling to reconnect with nature and where better to do it than the home of seven natural wonders, dozens of natural parks and gorgeous mountains – Switzerland.
That’s the message the country’s tourism board is getting out to travellers in a new 2017 summer campaign focusing on the destination’s natural beauty.
Divided into three themes – My Swiss Experience, Wildlife Watching and Alpine Hunts – the campaign aims to attract nature and outdoor lovers as well as encourage city-dwellers to take a break and re-connect with Mature Nature in Switzerland.
My Swiss Experience taps into that growing demand to live like a local and offers some 700 suggestions on where travellers can have regional experiences and encounters hosted by locals.
Wildlife Watching offers animal lovers a range of encounters with the Swiss wildlife through more than 100 day packages including those accompanied by professional guides.
And finally, Alpine Huts gives travellers direct access to traditional alpine huts for the very first time. These huts have been used for generations as summer residences by local cheese makers or shepherds and their animals.
According to Switzerland Tourism’s Australia & New Zealand Director, Mark Wettstein, the idea for the campaign came after seeing increasing demand among tourists to experience the European country’s ‘local way of life’ and nature.
“While many of our visitors are well acquainted with Switzerland’s no-filter-required picturesque landscape as well as the cheese, chocs and clocks, interests in other authentic experiences are growing.”
Mark Wettstein, Switzerland Tourism Director of Australia & New Zealand
“Travellers are looking for new and different activities, knowledge and involvements to enhance their journey and itineraries; and getting to know or interacting with locals to learn about their ways of life is a major appeal.”
Simply put, “nature wants you back!”
Switzerland Tourism’s efforts in Australia and New Zealand over the last three years have paid off with the country welcoming a year-on-year growth averaging at four percent. The first quarter of 2017 alone has seen a 14 percent increase in Australia and New Zealand overnights in the country.