Swiss still rely heavily on classic vacation destinations
Published: Friday, Feb 9th 2024, 10:20
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Switzerland is a country with tradition. This is also reflected in travel behavior. Swiss Bankers has determined the most popular vacation destinations of the past year based on its customers' means of payment.
It turns out that Mr. and Mrs. Swiss still like to stay in their own country. More than a quarter of travel spending in 2023 was made in Switzerland, writes the financial services provider in a study published on Friday.
And when it does cross national borders, the most popular destinations are the neighboring countries. France is in first place with 7.3% of the transaction volume, followed by Germany (7.1%). Italy, the UK, Spain and, in 7th place, the USA, the first non-European destination.
Exotics on the rise
Although there are still no exotic destinations in the top ten, distant travel destinations appear to be gaining in popularity. Travel spending on Japan has more than doubled and Indonesia, the Philippines, Australia and Thailand have also seen strong growth.
The destination on which the least money is spent and which can therefore be considered the most exotic country was Greenland in 2023. In the previous year, the island of Vanuatu still held this special "top spot".
Shopping, hotel and flight
The Swiss spend the most money on local shopping during their vacations, followed by travel expenses for hotels, flights and mobility. Just under 7 percent is spent in restaurants. Mobile payments abroad are also becoming increasingly popular - this option is by far the most frequently used in the eurozone (69%), followed by the US dollar (17%).
In terms of the seasons, however, it is clear that the focus is no longer on traditional summer vacations. Although summer still leads the way with 27% of travel spending, spring and fall are also popular travel times with 25% each, as is winter with 23%.
Ordering banknotes home remains a popular service. In 2023, almost 20 percent more banknotes were requested for travel than in the previous year. The US dollar was ordered most frequently, closely followed by the euro.
The Swiss franc is in third place with a good 12%. The British pound is in fourth place with 5.0%, while the trend towards travel to Japan is also reflected in the order for yen, which is still up 4.8%.
©Keystone/SDA
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