TORONTO — From bucket list to ‘It’ list, Canadians fell hard for Switzerland last year, with September 2023 hitting peak travel numbers for the first time.
Overnight stays from Canada increased by 13.1% compared to the record year of 2019, reaching 312,000 overnight stays.
Despite challenges such as inflation and a strong Swiss franc, Switzerland continues to confirm itself as a bucket list destination for Canadian travellers.
“While the most successful months continue to be the summer months from June to September, accounting for 49.2% of the overnight stays, September became the strongest travel month for the first time,” says
Oliver Weibel, Director Canada, Switzerland Tourism.
Mild autumn temperatures, improved hotel availability, and tourist attractions make autumn an attractive travel season, he added. Plus, winter tourism is also experiencing growth, driven by the popularity of destinations such as Zermatt and now St. Moritz (just added) offered within the Ikon Pass and Andermatt and Crans-Montana (24/25 season) with the Epic Pass.
The significant increase in sales of the Swiss Travel Pass (up 179% from Canada compared to 2019) also highlights the interest in the train experience in Switzerland, especially for panoramic trains. According to TMS 2017, already 60% of Canadian guests choose the train as their main mode of transportation.
There’s also good lift news for 2024, supported by the addition of extra direct flight connections by SWISS International Airlines from Toronto to Zurich and a daily connection between Vancouver and Zurich with Edelweiss in the summer 2024.
Here’s a few highlights from Switzerland Tourism’s Toronto partners …
- SWISS has announced details of its 2024 summer schedule, which includes new routes between Zurich (ZRH) and Toronto Pearson (YYZ). The seasonal service to Toronto will be offered five times a week from May 2024.
- Edelweiss is expanding its long-haul flights from North America to Zurich (ZRH) in summer 2024. Travellers from Vancouver (YVR) will be able to fly daily to Zurich during the extended season from May to October. Calgary (YYC) will benefit from up to three weekly flights from May to September.
- In Zurich, one emerging area capturing attention is the Altstetten District, slated for completion by the end of 2025. This urban hub is nestled within the former workshops of the Swiss federal railways and attracts a dynamic mix of creative professionals, tech innovators and artisans.
- Geneva recently unveiled the CERN Science Gateway, inviting visitors to delve into particle physics through immersive exhibits and hands-on workshops. Inaugurated in October 2023, the iconic building was designed by internationally renowned architect
Renzo Piano and features a futuristic design with suspended tubes, a reminder of CERN’s avant-garde accelerators and footbridges, symbols of the inseparable link between science and society.
- The Swiss Travel Pass provides an all-in-one ticket for unlimited travel across Switzerland by train, bus, boat, and local city transportation. Put simply, it’s a hop-on hop-off service for the entire country. Children under 16 travel free of charge with their parents, plus riders get between 25% to 50% discount on mountain excursions. And, of course, the train is the only way to access the stunning car-free village of Zermatt.
- Opened last July, the Matterhorn Alpine Crossing, a cable car journey around the Matterhorn, offers breathtaking views of the high alpine surroundings. Riders cross the national border between Switzerland and Italy at 11,000+ feet above sea level, making it a unique proposition for a day trip or part of an onward journey to Italy.
- Ticino is often called ‘Italy for Beginners’, mainly because Switzerland’s southernmost canton blends Swiss efficiency with Italian charm. With a Mediterranean microclimate, Italian cuisine, a vibrant wine culture, and stunning landscape, the Ticino is the place where Swiss people go on long breaks over the holidays.
For more details see MySwitzerland.com.
