Swiss hotels and holiday destinations are anticipating another record-breaking summer, with Chinese guests expected to notably increase overnight stays by 0.4%, according to the KOF Swiss Economic Institute.

Around 100,000 additional visitors are forecast to arrive in Switzerland compared to the previous summer. Furthermore, for the summer of 2025, the ETH Zurich research centre anticipates a growth of 2%.

According to the institute, while the global economy is slowly rebounding from its economic downturn this year, the trajectory of the Swiss Franc's development remains critical for tourism in Switzerland.

Indeed, the recent depreciation of the Swiss Franc is expected to benefit local tourism, Swiss Info reports.

KOF now anticipates a decrease of only 1.5% in Swiss residents choosing domestic holidays, down from their previous forecast of a 4% decline. With the resumption of long-distance travel by Swiss citizens to pre-pandemic levels, it is expected that the number of overnight stays will increase in tandem with population growth, likely rebounding by 2025.

According to the research centre, the number of European guests is also expected to fall this summer, as the longstanding negative trend in European tourism before the pandemic is anticipated to continue.

The KOF forecast for this market therefore remains steady at -4%. Additionally, for the summer of 2025, the research centre anticipates that the level of overnight stays will remain relatively stable.

However, KOF anticipates a rise in overnight stays during the summer, as experts predict that long-distance travellers will more than offset the decrease in guests from Europe and Switzerland. Growth is expected to be driven by visitors from the United States and China.

Moreover, KOF added that the number of overnight stays by American travellers will stay at a high level, with slight growth anticipated. Overall, an increase of 1% is expected for North America.

The research centre also anticipates that overnight stays by Chinese tourists will continue to be significantly below pre-pandemic levels. Nevertheless, their gradual return is expected to make a noticeable contribution to the overall growth in overnight stays. KOF forecasts a 47% increase compared to the previous year.