ONE of the most talked-about tourism campaigns of the summer has to have been Switzerland’s anti-World Cup beefcake campaign, designed by Switzerland Tourism and a number of travel agents to offer a welcome suspension from match duty to women fed up of football: a break in the mountains, far away from the testosterone-driven football hysteria, adventurous glacier tours instead of long queues to use the stadium toilets.
A take-off on the ‘Polish plumber’, the video (available at myswitzerland.com) features a series of irresistible actors – alone – posing as mountaineers, lumberjacks, farmers, train captains and such other presumably patented Swiss professions.
While the World Cup ends July 9, some ‘football widow’ packages are still available and can be booked with Switzerland Tourism as below:
• Château-d’Oex: A two-night Nordic walking package with breakfast in Château-d'Oex, Les Diablerets, Leysin or Villars including a half-day introduction to Nordic walking (including pole hire) and admission to the swimming pool. Price per person in a single/ double room begins CHF270 ($219), valid until October 31.
• Cademario: Anti-Stress Week is seven nights full-board, with one consultation with a physician, four breathing therapy sessions, two relaxation therapies, one Tai Chi, one full body massage, two foot reflexology massages and more. Price per person in double room CHF1623 ($1318) until September 30.
• Breiten: Time Warp in a Primeval Sea includes three nights with breakfast, unlimited use of the saline pool, sauna, steam bath and fitness room, one weekday massage one solarium session and one inhalation, for CHF399 per person in a double room, valid until September 30.