Hotel industry records slight decline in overnight stays
The Swiss hotel industry recorded a total of 17 million overnight stays in the first half of 2015. This represents a decline of 0.6 percent (-109,000 overnight stays) compared with the first half of 2014, with foreign demand falling by 1.9 percent, while 0.9 percent more domestic guests were registered. These are the provisional results of the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (SFSO).
Among guests from the European continent (excluding Switzerland), the number of overnight stays fell by 522,000 units, a drop of eight percent. Germany recorded the most significant absolute decline of all countries of origin with a minus of 198,000 overnight stays (-9.1%). France, Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium also posted high declines. The Swiss National Bank's (SNB) removal of the franc's minimum exchange rate against the euro likely impacted these results, the FSO wrote in a media release.
Visitors from Asia increased by 265,000 overnight stays, or more than 16 percent. China (excluding Hong Kong) increased by 135,000 overnight stays, the strongest absolute growth of all countries of origin at almost 33 percent. It is followed by India, Thailand and the Republic of Korea.
Nine of the fourteen tourism regions reported a decline in overnight stays in the first half of 2015 compared with the first half of 2014. Graubünden recorded the most significant decrease in absolute terms with a drop of 117,000 overnight stays (-4.4%). This was followed by Valais (-82,000 overnight stays / -4.1%), eastern Switzerland (-49,000 / -5.3%) and Ticino (-48,000 / -4.9%). Geneva also recorded a decline in overnight stays (-32,000 / -2.3%). In contrast, the Zurich region posted an increase of 106,000 units (+4.3%), followed by the Lucerne/Lake Lucerne region (+90,000 / +5.8%). (ah)
