TORONTO — On a warm and sunny (finally) spring evening in Toronto, Director, Canada, Pascal Prinz told attendees at last night’s Switzerland Tourism event that the weather is now perfect for bike-riding – either here at home or, better yet, in the beautiful mountains and rolling hills of Switzerland.
Running through the end of May, Switzerland Tourism is welcoming the spring season and sponsoring free bike share rides in Motivate-operated systems across North America, including Bixi in Montreal. The campaign is designed to encourage would-be travellers to think about a biking holiday in the beautiful Alps this summer.
According to Prinz, Switzerland is a great destination for biking for several reasons: “First, the infrastructure is top notch with well-marked trails for all levels and dedicated hotels for biking tours. Second, the variety and diversity of the landscape of either flat, rolling hills, or mountainous means there is something for everyone, plus e-bikes can help with the uphill parts. Third, the convenience and how well connecting the biking is with the rest of the Swiss travel system, so for example, you can easily take the train or a boat back if you’re tried and looking to relax. And finally, the scenery is spectacular!”
Pascal Prinz, Director, Canada, Switzerland Tourism
Switzerland has over 2,000 kilometers of sign-posted cycling paths. Options range from paved roads with unspoiled scenery, cycling paths around serene lakes, or the majestic Alps with 17 passes exceeding 2,000 metres amid the snowy peaks.
“Canadians are also attracted to the scenic trains, and, of course, you can go swimming in the beautiful lakes and rivers, explore a castle, or enjoy the many urban boutique towns or hip cities, with their great design, museums, gastronomy and more. There are many things for Canadians to enjoy in the summer in Switzerland,” says Prinz.
The latest numbers show an increase of 11.2% in Canadian arrivals in Switzerland in 2017 for a total of 115,180. According to final 2017 figures, the number of overnight stays was 247,764, an increase of 9.1% compared to 2016. The most popular destinations were the Zurich Region followed by Geneva and the Valais Region.
“We are proud to see a record year. This is the best year for Canadians visiting Switzerland in 25 years, and we are very thankful to the travel agents out there,” continued Prinz. “We are convinced with this new bike campaign, even more Canadians will fall in love with Switzerland.”
Why is Switzerland such a great destination for clients? Prinz says it has great value for money. “Once your clients arrive, they don’t pay any more because with the Swiss Travel Pass all the boats, trains, busses, 500 museums, 25 castles and 3 mountain excursions are free – zero Canadian dollars! There are no resort fees, breakfast is always included at most hotels and we have the lowest VAT tax in Europe.”
For foreign guests, the all-in-one ticket Swiss Travel Pass is the key to Switzerland’s public transport network. This single ticket enables visitors to explore Switzerland from end to end by train, bus and boat on three, four, eight or 15 consecutive days. With the Swiss Travel Pass Youth, young people under 26 years of age travelling through Switzerland benefit from a 15 % discount off the regular Swiss Travel Pass ticket fare.
For more information visit myswitzerland.com.
