Switzerland encourages visitors to explore other parts of the country

Lake Brienz at Iseltwald in central Switzerland has been getting lots of Asian tourists thanks to the Korean drama, Crash Landing On You. — AFP

Switzerland Tourism said it would seek to highlight the off seasons and promote destinations off the beaten track.

Officials told a press conference in Zurich recently that the agency wanted to direct holidaymakers to “the right places, at the right time”.

There is “no problem of general overtourism in Switzerland”, said the agency’s chief Martin Nydegger, though there are “temporary and localised bottlenecks, well-known to the industry”.

The village of Iseltwald in central Switzerland, for example, suddenly saw Asian tourists flocking to the shores of Lake Brienz last year after the huge success of the South Korean Netflix series Crash Landing On You.The village of around 400 inhabitants decided to impose a fee of CHF5 (RM26) on tourists wanting to go on the pontoon for a picture where a romantic scene was filmed.

Nydegger said the Swiss generally had a positive opinion of the industry. According to a survey carried out by the agency, only 5% are concerned about tourism.

“The strength of the Swiss franc is already one defence, because it limits access to mass tourism,” said Damian Constantin, head of the conference of directors of regional tourist offices.

Along with the strong currency, the high cost of living also makes Switzerland an expensive destination to visit, further curbing the risk of over-tourism, he said.

Switzerland Tourism nonetheless wants to be proactive in protecting a sector that generates CHF43bil (RM226.16bil) a year and 4.5% of the country’s GDP, according to Nydegger.

The agency intends to work with tour operators to offer packages off the beaten track, like hiking trails and electric bike tours at the luxury winter ski resort of Davos-Klosters, promoted with the help of Chinese online content creators.

It has also launched campaigns to promote tourism during the autumn to extend the summer season.

“The diversity of Switzerland is highlighted worldwide so that travellers can spread out better, immerse themselves deeper and stay longer,” the agency said. – AFP Relaxnews