Switzerland eyes 10 pc growth in Indian tourists in 2017

Picturesque Switzerland is targeting a 10 per cent rise in Indian visitors on the back of bullish domestic economy and strengthening Indian rupee.
"With the Indian economy doing well, the country's currency becoming stronger we believe that there will be a strong growth of over 10 per cent in Indians visiting Switzerland this year," Switzerland Tourism CEO Juerg Schmid told PTI here today.
"We have also intensified our promotional activities in the country, which will boost the tourist inflow from India," Schmid said.
In 2016, 3,50,000 Indians travelled to Switzerland, up 3 per cent from 2015.
"The growth was muted as the visa office was shifted and also biometric was introduced, which slowed down the process. We could not issue as many visas as the applications that we received," Schmid said.

In the recent years, Switzerland is being promoted as an all year round tourist destination.

"Switzerland is a beautiful country. Our summer is as beautiful as our winters. As India is an important market for us we want to promote Switzerland as an all year round destination for Indians," he said.
He said the European country is a perfect place for families and honeymooners, however, Switzerland Tourism is extending it to the younger crowd as well to make the country a multi generation holiday destination.
"We are promoting Switzerland as a destination for adventure. However, the country continues to cater the romance and beauty by being the destination for honeymooners, weddings and families," he said.

India is among the top 10 source market for Switzerland and is positioned eighth and is third as the long haul source market, Schmid said.
"We expect the growth trend to continue and in next decade India is likely to move up the ladder as the source market," he said.
Switzerland's top source markets are Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, the UK, the US and China.