As a favourite destination for Chinese tourists, Switzerland is preparing to welcome more arrivals from China in the following months, while the country has already started seeing an increase in the number of Schengen visa applications filed in China.
In this regard, a senior official at Switzerland’s national tourism agency, Simon Bosshart, emphasized that after the removal of COVID-19 restrictions by China, the nationals of the latter will once again become a significant market for Switzerland, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
As China Daily reports, before the pandemic began in 2019, tourists from China spent an average of 380 Swiss francs or $425 per person per day in the country.
During the same period, Chinese visitors spent a total of 1.8 million overnight stays in Switzerland, thus making China the fourth largest source market of tourists in Switzerland. On the other hand, this figure fell between two per cent and ten per cent after 2019 during each of the last three years.
According to Bosshart, demand for travel to Switzerland from China is already quite evident as visa demand increased by 30 per cent between January and February this year compared to 2019.
“China is a huge market with a population that is developing fast, living in big cities, and looking for authentic experiences, pure nature, and relaxing environments. Switzerland is well-positioned to meet the needs of Chinese tourists for such unique experiences,” Bosshart pointed out.
He also added that sustainable travel is a major focus for the Swiss tourism board. As a result, European governments promoting sustainable travel have demanded that tourism boards boost Switzerland as well.
Considering that China has kept its borders closed due to COVID-19, the number of visas in this country has dropped drastically.
According to newly released data by Schengen Visa Statistics, in 2022, Chinese nationals submitted 92,780 applications at the consulates and visa centres in the country.
Normally, China occupies the second spot as the second largest source of visa applicants for the Schengen states. However, due to the closure of borders, the country has fallen beyond the 20th position, which is expected to recover this year due to the reopening of the borders.
Bosshart further revealed that Switzerland’s Tourism expects to recover up to 50 per cent of 2019’s total visitor numbers this year, adding that even if it is 40 per cent, it is still considered good progress.
At the same time, Bosshart said that Switzerland expects that by 2026 it will fully recover, always hoping to offer more quality tourism, which could lead to fewer guests staying longer and spending more money.
Previously, the Swiss authorities have launched several campaigns in order to attract as many tourists from China as possible. Moreover, based on a notice issued by the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism, it was revealed that from February 6 this year, Chinese travel agencies and tour operators will be allowed to resume pilot group tours. They also provide air packages as well as hotels for visitors.
In January of this year, Switzerland decided to remove the mandatory testing process for passengers from China. The same also confirmed that they have no plans to tighten the travel restrictions for these passengers.