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The corona pandemic is a catastrophe for tourism. The world is flat. International travel is almost impossible, or only in extremely difficult conditions. The question remains: how long will this condition last?
The answer: a long time. For a long time. Switzerland’s leading tourism expert doesn’t expect standardization until 2023 or 2024. “Definitely not before,” Martin Nydegger, Switzerland’s director of Tourism, said in an interview with the “Sunday newspaper.”
“We will have to go through the fund again next year,” Nydegger says. “We expect the number of guests compared to 2019 to be 60 to 70 percent. In 2022, at best, we will be 80 percent. It depends on the development of the pandemic, which is difficult to assess at this time. “
City in crisis
The situation will lead to even more bankruptcies. Nydegger confirms it. And this is also shown by a survey of the Swiss hotel industry. The forecast for winter is bleak. The situation is getting worse in Switzerland, it is said. The probability of bankruptcy for the next few months is high.
The survey comes from the Hotelleriesuisse Association. Answers are from September 30 to October 4. Hotel companies are now urgently calling for rapid tests instead of quarantine, harmonization of travel regulations and specific support measures.
Assessments of urban areas are particularly alarming. 90 percent of those surveyed in urban areas see a significant deterioration in the situation. Urban tourism is clearly in crisis.
China interest
“It’s worse for cities,” Nydegger says. And for those places that depend above the average on foreign tourists and business tourism ”.
As for business travelers, the decline should be sustainable. A return to pre-Corona times is not expected. “Even after the pandemic ends, business tourism will continue to suffer the most,” Nydegger said. “The reason is the rapidly advanced digital way of working that we have become accustomed to. This is very bad news not only for the hotels in the city, but for everyone who has to do with mobility, SBB, the station kiosk, the airlines, everyone. “
So everything is wrong? Not necessarily. There is a ray of light. Switzerland’s glow is still high. The desire for a vacation in the Alps is there. Even with wealthy tourists from Asia. “We are seeing more and more Chinese booking trips to Europe through online platforms and tour operators,” Nydegger says. “This also includes Switzerland. On the other hand, our employees on the site report that Chinese tourists and tour operators are very interested in a trip to us. “(Ise)
