Swiss tourism policy has clear objectives: improving the framework conditions, promoting entrepreneurship, harnessing the opportunities of digitalisation, strengthening the appeal of Switzerland as a destination, and supporting sustainable development.
To deliver on these objectives, 15 action items have been defined, each addressing specific thematic priorities. These can be adjusted or expanded as needed, ensuring that tourism policy remains agile and capable of responding to new developments. The action items have a medium- to long-term horizon, are open-ended in principle, and in some cases encompass ongoing responsibilities of the Confederation's tourism policy.
For the 2024–2027 funding period, up to CHF 45 million is available for Innotour and up to CHF 233 million for Switzerland Tourism. The NPR provides up to CHF 200 million in loans and a further CHF 200 million in non-repayable grants for projects with a regional economic impact. The Swiss Association for Hotel Credit (SGH) operates on the basis of an existing federal loan of CHF 236 million.
A favourable regulatory climate is essential if Swiss tourism businesses are to thrive and Switzerland is to remain an attractive destination. The Confederation's tourism policy therefore works actively to improve framework conditions. Core responsibilities include implementing a strategic approach to issue and stakeholder management, developing a sound knowledge base combined with proactive, targeted communication, coordinating tourism policy concerns, cooperating with relevant stakeholders, and contributing to a regulatory environment that is conducive to tourism.
In the coming years, the Swiss Tourism Forum will be further developed. The aim is to improve communication and collaboration with key stakeholders and strengthen networking among them. Engagement with tourism businesses will also be expanded, and exchanges with the relevant federal offices will be intensified.
SECO is continuously engaged in promoting tourism-friendly regulation as federal law evolves. A particular focus is on implementing the measures decided by the Federal Council in May 2021 in its report on the effects of the Second Homes Act.
Cooperation with the OECD Tourism Committee and UN Tourism is to be systematised and deepened through project-based collaboration. The aim is to ensure that Swiss tourism policy interests are brought to bear at international level in a more coordinated and effective manner. From autumn 2021 to end-2026, Switzerland holds the chairmanship of the UN Tourism Programme and Budget Committee.
The Confederation's vision for tourism policy puts the competitiveness of the tourism industry at its centre. A key prerequisite is an entrepreneurial mindset and approach at every level, making the promotion of entrepreneurship one of the core objectives of federal tourism policy. Particular attention is paid to the following themes:
Business framework conditions
Cost and productivity
Education and training
Tourism labour market
Building on experience to date, the following three action areas will be prioritised in the coming years:
The Confederation supports structural change in tourism through a range of funding instruments aimed at encouraging the emergence of larger, more competitive corporate units. Cooperation arrangements that help offset the disadvantages of fragmented structures are particularly valuable. Special emphasis is placed on start-ups, new business formation and corporate succession, with the aim of maintaining a healthy business landscape in the tourism sector.
Innosuisse's innovation funding and the coaching services of the regional innovation systems (RIS), co-financed through the New Regional Policy (NPR), make an important contribution here. Corporate succession planning will be given particular attention in the accommodation funding provided by the Swiss Association for Hotel Credit (SGH) and in the HotellerieSuisse coaching programme supported by the Confederation through the NPR.
Successful entrepreneurship in tourism demands strategic thinking – the ability to spot opportunities and develop new lines of business.
The Confederation builds this capacity primarily through NPR coaching services and knowledge transfer activities. The regional innovation systems (RIS), which strengthen the competitiveness and capacity for innovation among SMEs, also play an important role.
The tourism labour market was already under pressure before the pandemic; conditions have since tightened further. SECO plays a coordinating role among all parties involved, fostering cooperation and dialogue with cantons, industry associations and the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI), and uses the Swiss Tourism Forum (STF) as a platform for discussion, including on the shortage of skilled workers.
SECO also produces analyses and knowledge resources in collaboration with external experts to serve as a basis for developing solutions. Targeted labour market projects are supported through Innotour and the NPR.
Sustainable development is a core objective of the Confederation's 2021 Tourism Strategy. Tourism Policy supports the economic performance and resilience of industry stakeholders while promoting resource efficiency, environmental responsibility and social responsibility, for example through quality employment and accessible offerings. It thus addresses all three dimensions of sustainability: economic, environmental and social.
Switzerland's appeal as a tourism destination rests to a significant degree on the quality of its landscapes and its Baukultur – the culture of quality in buildings and design. It therefore makes good sense for tourism policy to coordinate and cooperate with landscape and Baukultur policy. Greater mutual awareness of shared concerns and potential needs to be fostered between those working in landscape, biodiversity and Baukultur and those in the tourism industry. This activity is anchored not only in the tourism strategy, but also in the Baukultur Policy and the Swiss Landscape Concept.
SECO is working together with the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) and the Federal Office of Culture (FOC) to expand existing collaboration and networking structures and create new ones where needed. In recent years this cooperation has deepened, with the importance of closer cross-agency working highlighted in the strategic frameworks for both Baukultur and landscape policy. A working group has been set up, groundwork has been laid, and workshops have been held.
Climate change poses major challenges for Switzerland as a tourism destination, particularly in winter tourism. Rising snow lines are shortening the winter season, pushing up the costs of snowmaking and threatening lower-altitude destinations in particular. At the same time, new opportunities are emerging: warmer temperatures and fewer rainy days are boosting summer and autumn tourism. Outdoor activities are becoming more popular, the mountain summer is positioning itself as an alternative to Mediterranean destinations, and lake regions are gaining in appeal.
A strategic repositioning towards snow-independent offerings – such as that undertaken by Wiriehorn cable cars with NPR support – reduces dependence on traditional ski tourism and secures long-term economic viability. The Confederation's 2020–2025 Action Plan specifically promotes product development, diversification and the expansion of summer, autumn and year-round tourism, while winter sports continue to be developed through initiatives such as the Swiss Snow Sports Initiative.
Close coordination with the Federal Office of Sport, knowledge transfer, and a solid evidence base on the impacts of climate change on ski and snow sports areas – developed jointly with the Confederation and the cantons – are also central to this work.
Through the Swisstainable sustainability initiative, Switzerland Tourism works with the industry to promote sustainable tourism and product development, positioning Switzerland as a leading sustainable travel destination. The aim is to make existing sustainability achievements more visible and support businesses on their path towards greater sustainability.
The Swisstainable label builds on existing certifications and programmes, giving guests a clear point of reference. All tourism businesses and organisations are eligible to participate and are classified into three levels of increasing commitment:
Level I – committed
Level II – engaged
Level III – leading
By end-2023, the target is a 10% increase in perceptions of Switzerland as a sustainable destination, with 4,000 businesses enrolled in the programme. Swisstainable will increasingly focus on destinations and regions, and from 2022 will be anchored in a national centre of expertise for sustainability at the Swiss Tourism Federation (STV). Switzerland Tourism retains primary responsibility for communication, marketing and product development. SECO supports the implementation and further development of the initiative through its tourism policy funding instruments.
Consumer behaviour in tourism has changed significantly in recent years, a trend further accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, digitalisation is opening up new opportunities for products, services and business models.
Given the highly fragmented structure of Swiss tourism, many businesses and destinations struggle to keep pace with technological change. Individual business-level innovation is therefore not enough; regional and national cooperation are equally important.
The primary responsibility for digital transformation lies with tourism businesses themselves, but the Confederation supports them through targeted activities to help them make the most of what digitalisation has to offer.
Federal tourism policy continues to place strong emphasis on digitalisation, both in project funding and knowledge transfer. Support through Innotour and the NPR is being adapted to focus more specifically on forward-looking, cooperative projects.
Priority is given to transferable, open solutions that enable cooperation. The aim is also to strengthen the digital expertise of users and provide greater access to current knowledge on digital solutions and their strategic potential.
In the coming years, the focus will be on maximising the value of tourism data and statistics. Public data should be quick and easy to use, with particular attention on accommodation statistics (HESTA/PASTA) and the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA).
Open data offerings from Switzerland Tourism are important in giving partners easier access. The Swiss Tourism Data Alliance (STDA) also plays a key role in facilitating data exchange between tourism operators, thus improving coordination and interoperability.
Digitalisation in tourism remains a complex field, with strategically significant topics including data, new technologies such as blockchain and augmented/virtual reality, and artificial intelligence. Tracking and contextualising these developments is essential if they are to be properly reflected in tourism policy and funding.
A monitoring process will provide relevant information for the Confederation and stakeholders, with ongoing dialogue with the tourism industry maintained through open processes and regular exchanges.
Enticing offerings and a strong market presence are decisive factors in the success of Swiss tourism, making for memorable holidays and successful business trips while sustaining tourist demand.
Strengthening the offering and market profile is therefore a priority for the Confederation's tourism promotion efforts, which complement private-sector activity and are designed to make effective use of available resources while seeking out synergies wherever possible.
Tourism infrastructure plays a central role in opening up, adapting and delivering profitable, future-proof business areas. Financing such infrastructure is, however, a challenge in holiday regions and peripheral areas. The Confederation therefore supports tourism investment and will continue to develop and refine its investment promotion instruments. To this end, the legal basis for the Swiss Association for Hotel Credit (SGH) will be revised.
The New Regional Policy (NPR) supports value-creating infrastructure in tourism destinations, enabling them to develop or substantially enhance their existing offering as part of the tourism value chain. Individual projects must be innovative and value-oriented, and aligned with sustainable development requirements. Further information on the NRP funding priority can be found here:
The aim is to make stays in Switzerland and the experiences on offer as accessible and enjoyable as possible through targeted product development, while diversifying tourism demand according to season and geography and, where possible, extend the length of guests' stays – all with the overarching goal of improving convenience and quality.
Swiss cities are to be positioned even more strongly as leisure destinations, with city centres further revitalised where possible. Cultural tourism has an important role to play here. In business tourism, the focus is on developing new market segments, including events that were scaled back during the COVID-19 pandemic and are now a better fit for the capacity that Switzerland has to offer.
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