With strong growth in the number of overnight stays since H2 2022, Switzerland Tourism is confident that 2023 will be the year of full recovery of pre-covid levels, and potentially even surpassing 2019 levels.

In a recent interview with Travel Weekly Asia, Batiste Pilet, director of Southeast Asia for Switzerland Tourism, shares his predictions for 2023 and discusses new plans to tap into the high potential of the Philippine market and accelerate the recovery of their largest market in Southeast Asia, Thailand.

A year of recovery to pre-Covid levels

2023 will be the year of full recovery of pre-Covid levels. If the current travel conditions remain stable, we may even achieve a higher result than in 2019. Since H2 2022, the number of overnights have seen strong growth (+25% overnights stays from July to October 2022 compared to pre-covid/2019). And if macro conditions remain as current, more Southeast Asian travel to Switzerland in 2023, which will be a new record year.

Southeast Asia a high potential market

Last year, we have opened an antenna in Manila, as our various indicators highlighted the high potential of the Filipino market. We have also increased our presence in Thailand last year, to accelerate the recovery of what is traditionally our largest market in Southeast Asia. Marketing wise, we will run four campaigns, targeting traditional segments, such as families and high-end travel, but also further develop niche segments such as outdoor sport and winter sports.

Top opportunities and concerns

I am excited to see the full potential from Southeast Asia as a source market for Switzerland and raise our Swiss destinations’ awareness about this potential. Although travel conditions have returned to normal, Covid-19 is still around and it is needless to say that a new round of lockdowns would be very difficult to bear.