“We’re here to talk about wine and cheese, and happy people,” Pascal Prinz laughed, as he introduced 11 Swiss suppliers at a trade event in Toronto last week. After all, “travel is good for everyone’s mental health, and we should all be pleased to be able to travel again,” he added.
The Canadian director for Switzerland Tourism was leading the Switzerland Travel Experience roadshow through Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, May 30-June 3, a Canada-exclusive event with Swiss representatives from Andermatt, Basel, Engelberg-Mount Titlis, Interlaken Tourism, Jungfrau Region, Mount Pilatus, Mount Schilthorn, SWISS/Lufthansa Group, the Swiss Travel System, Ticino, and the Valais Matterhorn.
In downtown Toronto, on a rooftop space above the Swiss tourism office, participants enjoyed drinks, nibbled Gruyère cheese, and heard about the latest developments in the European country, which is eager to welcome Canadians back after the pandemic.
“We are excited to finally meet our valued partners in person again, inspire them with experiences, and thank them for their tireless dedication and hard work,” said Prince, who noted that with no tests and no quarantine restrictions, Switzerland is again fully open for travel.
He noted that there up to 30 flights weekly from Canada, with SWISS/Lufthansa Group and Air Canada ramping up their flight schedule to 95% of 2019, offering direct flights to Zurich and Geneva from Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary this summer.
Recognizing the need for competent travel advice, Switzerland Tourism is also launching a new digital tool called MySwitzerland Pro.
“We have learned during the pandemic how circumstances and bookings can change so we need to be nimble and support the travel trade industry in their work,” says. “To better achieve this, we are launching a new digital match-making tool called MySwitzerland Pro, which is an excellent resource for tour operators or travel advisors to search deals on room nights, train tickets or city tours.
He added, “The tool is particularly useful in the event of a short-term cancellation of a big group at a Swiss supplier for example. (It) can help travel trade to quickly find Swiss incoming tour operators and commissionable experiences based on season, group size and passions.”
Travel professionals are also invited to join the Switzerland Travel Academy and become a certified Switzerland Travel Experts at www.myswitzerland.com/trade
A shortlist of Swiss news highlights include:
• This summer, Titlis mountain station is being turned into a SpaceCamp – the starting point for a host of exciting daytime and night-time events. At over 3,020 m. above sea level, everything feels a little more intense and the conditions are perfect for spectacular views beyond the horizon and off into space. And all of this in the middle of a stunning glacial landscape that can also be explored below ground.
• A new suspension footbridge in Region Dents du Midi – Valais Matterhorn Region is now open. Overhanging the Vièze and linking the heart of the village of Troistorrents to Chenarlier, the footbridge is 185 m. long and 75 m. high. It’s open year-round and free.
• The Swiss Travel System’s much-anticipated GoldenPass Express will open up a direct connection from Montreux to Interlaken starting in December. The wonderful panoramic route takes in Lake Geneva, Gstaad, and the typically Swiss Simmental valley, also passing Lake Thun all the way to Interlaken. With the Prestige class, passengers can take in the views with bigger windows, seats and a meal service. The line is an extension to the equally memorable Brünig line that links Lucerne and Interlaken with the Lucerne-Interlaken Express.
• The world’s steepest cableway is under construction in Schilthornbahn in the Bern region with the aim of upgrading the visitor experience to the Schilthorn. In addition to replacing the existing lines, the project includes a direct link between Stechelberg in the Lauterbrunnen Valley and the charming car-free resort of Mürren. Once complete, this 1,200-m. cableway will become the world’s steepest and covering a 775 m. with an altitude differential of 1,194 m in length and 160% incline. The new line is scheduled to open in December 2024.
• SWISS and the Lufthansa Group have concluded a strategic collaboration with the Synhelion company to bring its solar aviation fuel to market. This will make SWISS the first airline in the world to use ‘sun-to-liquid’ fuel. The process devised by Synhelion uses concentrated sunlight to produce carbon-neutral kerosene. With this collaboration, SWISS and Synhelion are playing a pioneering role in the production and the adoption of sustainable aviation fuels.