ZURICH (Reuters) – Switzerland’s hotel industry had a record 42.8 million overnight stays during 2024, the government said on Thursday, a boost for the country’s tourism sector which has struggled in recent years with a lack of snow and a shutdown during the pandemic.
The figure was a 2.6% increase from 2023, the Federal Statistic Office said, with strong demand from abroad.
While domestic demand remained roughly stable, visitors from abroad increased by 5.1% to 22 million stays, the highest level in at least 50 years.
Germany had the biggest number of foreign tourists visiting Switzerland, followed by the United States, Britain and France.
There was also a big increase in the number of overnight stays from visitors from China, continuing the recovery after a collapse in the numbers during the pandemic.
Tourism supports the equivalent of 167,000 full time jobs in Switzerland – or 4% of the Swiss workforce – and generates nearly 3% of Swiss gross domestic product.
(Reporting by John Revill; Editing by Dave Graham)
