Heritage, history being marketed
Switzerland Tourism's latest product, Time Travel, combines stays at the heritage hotels with visits to historical sites and classic rail and steamboat journeys.
Accomodation can be had at more than 30 establishments belonging to the Swiss Historic Hotels association – which have a collective age of 4,500 years! These include the Art Nouveau style Hotel Schatzalp (1900) in Davos, the Beau-Rivage Palace in Lausanne (1861) and the Landgasthof Ruedihus in Kandersteg (1753).
Swiss hotel association urges quality
HOTELLERIESUISSE - the main Swiss hotel association - has urged its members to concentrate on quality in 2007, its 125th anniversary, reports swissinfo. The association has also called for measures to tackle Switzerland's high prices, which it said hold back tourism. The association accounts for 80 per cent of overnight stays in Switzerland and its more than 3,200 members range from luxury hotels to family inns. This year the association is placing emphasis on a pioneering spirit and innovation. It wants its members to focus on services and look to the future. It has asked the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute, a think tank, to carry out a study into how the sector is likely to look in 2020.
Looking to Bollywood
AGENTS selling to Indian expats can now talk up Switzerland’s new guidelines to better cater for a growing number of Indian visitors attracted by Bollywood’s portrayal of the country, reports swissinfo. Swiss hotel association Hotelleriesuisse and Switzerland Tourism have debuted a new brochure, Swiss Hospitality for Indian Guests, that offers suggestions on Indian cultural, shopping and culinary preferences and dislikes. Indians spent a total of 284,390 nights in Swiss hotels last year, up 14 per cent on 2005.
With dozens of romantic movies shot in the Alps every year, Switzerland is a dream destination for honeymooners and group tourists.
Prince for a year
THE village of Alvaneu, near the resort of Davos, has appointed Zürich resident and media expert Peter Martin Wettler as the Prince of Belfort. Named after a local castle and hotel, he is expected to contribute new ideas to revitalise the region and his appointment has already boosted tourism to the village. Switzerland is a democratic country.