MORE than 10 per cent of tourists who visited Lausanne in Switzerland last year were from the UAE, making the city a key tourism destination for Emiratis, according to a Lausanne Tourism adviser.
Independent international marketing and tourism consultant Walter Loser says Lausanne is increasingly becoming one of the most attractive tourism destinations for the UAE and other GCC countries, adding that the number of GCC visitors to the Swiss city surged by nearly 20 per cent in 2013.
“The UAE now has the second largest number of Middle Eastern tourists to Switzerland. We have worked hard to provide the best services to tourists in our country from the UAE and other Gulf states during summer.”
He says more facilities would be set up in Lausanne during 2014-2015 including sport fields, adding that there are nearly 67 hotels comprising 3,900 rooms in Lausanne. He estimates occupancy rates at as high as 86 per cent last year and said a new five-star hotel would be set up in 2015 as a GCC investment.
Lausanne Tourism will participate in the Arabian Travel Market show due to be held in Dubai in May, describing it as the most important tourism event in the Middle East as it provides an opportunity for big tour packages.
Lausanne, located in the heart of Europe, is the fourth largest Swiss city and is famous for its beautiful nature, shopping centres and mountains. It overlooks Lake Geneva and is only around 40 minutes by car from Geneva airport.