Swiss hotels set for record-breaking year as tourism rebounds

Switzerland's hotel industry is witnessing an extraordinary year of growth in 2025, with June marking another milestone in its post-pandemic recovery. According to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), overnight stays increased by 1.8% year-over-year, reaching 4.15 million stays in June alone. This consistent growth trajectory puts the industry on course to surpass the remarkable record of 42.8 million overnight stays set in 2024.

The first half of 2025 has shown remarkable resilience, with positive growth in all months except February. January kicked off with a strong 3.5% increase, followed by growth in March (0.3%), April (4.4%), and May (1.7%), culminating in June's impressive performance.

The growth in June was particularly driven by domestic tourism, with Swiss guests recording a robust 3.0% increase to 1.89 million nights. International visitors showed more modest growth at 0.9%, accounting for 2.26 million nights.

Among international visitors, Americans led the way with 477,411 overnight stays, followed by Germans (353,943) and British tourists (149,727). French and Italian visitors rounded out the top five with 110,322 and 66,157 stays respectively. The first half of 2025 saw international visitors contributing 10.4 million nights, marking a 3.0% increase, while domestic demand slightly decreased by 0.3% to 10.0 million nights compared to the previous year.

The regional distribution of tourism growth reveals interesting patterns across Switzerland. Graubünden emerged as the strongest performer with an impressive 11.8% increase, recording 387,286 overnight stays. Ticino also showed strong performance with a 4.2% increase, reaching 284,623 overnight stays in June.

However, not all regions shared in the growth, with the urban centers of Zurich, Bern, and Geneva experiencing slight declines. This pattern suggests a continued preference for scenic and recreational destinations over business-oriented urban centers.

With the first half of 2025 showing a 1.4% overall growth in overnight stays compared to the same period in 2024, the Swiss hotel industry is well-positioned to set a new annual record. The consistent month-over-month growth, particularly strong domestic tourism numbers, and recovering international visitor figures all point to a robust and sustainable recovery.

The industry's performance suggests that Switzerland's strategic positioning as a premium tourism destination continues to resonate with both domestic and international travelers, despite global economic uncertainties.