In the UK, the number of Omicron cases is increasing rapidly. This is why France has severely restricted travel to and from the UK. The British are only allowed to travel to France in exceptional cases. Germany has also severely restricted travel. Not so in Switzerland.
Bookings increase
Bookings are even increasing in the classic winter destinations of the English, such as Verbier and Mürren. And the Swiss hotel industry is also looking forward to the festive season with excitement. Mürren in the Bernese Oberland cannot complain about a lack of bookings. Anyone who feared that the English would cancel their vacation in Switzerland due to the Corona situation will see themselves wrong.
The tourism director is satisfied: “We feel that the English guests really want to come; it gives them security. Our catering is open – in contrast to other countries, where the situation is stricter than in Switzerland. ” Rachel Arkin said that this is also one of the reasons that the English are coming to Switzerland this winter.
Ski ban in France a blessing for Switzerland
Last year, some English regulars had canceled due to Corona. Not so this year. The Hotel Eiger has two thirds of foreign guests. After the uncertainty, there is now confidence. “We are very satisfied. The cancellations in November came as a shock at first. But now everything is going well with the snow, we have an occupancy rate of 80 to 90 percent. It’s a good start to the season », says hotel owner Adrian Stähli.
We were able to provide evidence last winter that our protection concepts work.
People are not only satisfied in Mürren, but also in Verbier, a particularly popular destination for the English during the Christmas holidays. The tourism director suspects that bookings have even increased because the English can no longer go skiing in France: “I think many have rebooked because they can now not go to France,” says Simon Wiget, Director of Verbier Tourism.
Will Switzerland become a corona hotspot?
In general, the hotel industry is looking forward to the festive season with joy. Hotelleriesuisse President Andreas Züllig is surprised that more British people book holidays in Switzerland than usual. But they are not the only ones. “I get rather positive feedback, the guests have booked for Christmas / New Year’s and sometimes there are also short-term bookings, despite the tightened measures with 2G and 2G +.”
Züllig praised the Federal Council for acting pragmatically and thereby helping the industry. Züllig does not believe that Switzerland will become a corona hotspot as a result: «Last winter we were able to provide evidence that our protection concepts work. Without us becoming the Corona hotspot in Europe – as was predicted – so trust in Switzerland has grown, internationally. That helps us this winter.
Even in Mürren you don’t let the beautiful views spoil. Omikron seems far away in the unspoilt mountain world. The locals are fleeing the high fog in the mountains, and many children are on vacation earlier because of the pandemic. And the British would like to forget during their ski holidays that a disaster was declared in London on Saturday due to the massive spread of Omikron.