2024 was a record year for tourism in Switzerland, new data from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) has revealed. Practically all Swiss cantons benefited from the rise, which was turbocharged by a boom in the number of American visitors.

Swiss hotels celebrate a record year

In 2024, the Swiss hotel industry reported 42,8 million overnight stays, a 2,6 percent increase compared to 2023 and a new all-time record. Around half of the stays were booked by people who live in Switzerland, while the rest were taken by holidaymakers from elsewhere coming to sample the country's cities, lakes and mountains.

In absolute terms, Canton Zurich remains the most popular place to visit having reported 6,7 million overnight stays last year, followed by Bern (6,36 million), Graubünden (5,5 million) and Valais (4,43 million). However, Geneva and Basel saw numbers rise the most compared to 2023, by 6,6 and 5,4 percent respectively.

At the same time, only three cantons saw visitor numbers drop during 2024, namely Valais, Ticino and St. Gallen. Recent years have also seen a decline in the popularity of ski resorts in Switzerland - with the notable exception of Zermatt. Davos has seen a 10,3 percent decrease in hotel stays between 2019 and 2024, alongside Lauterbrunnen (-8,8 percent), Engelberg (-8,4 percent) and Saas-Fee (-26,2 percent).

Which nationalities visit Switzerland most?

After local residents, German citizens are the most common tourists in Switzerland, accounting for 1,7 million arrivals and 3,79 million hotel stays in 2024. However, the FSO attributed the record year to a 13,9-percent rise in American tourists compared to 2023. With 1,46 million arrivals and 3,49 million overnight stays, people from the states are now the third most common tourist group, followed by people from the United Kingdom.

Speaking to Watson, Switzerland Tourism director Martin Nydegger said that the high inflation seen in the United States in recent years means that a holiday in the cantons is no longer perceived as overpriced. American tourists are also good business, with Nydegger noting that they are known for staying in four and five-star hotels more often, and for spending generously when on holiday.

Tourist hotspots struggle to keep up with rising visitor numbers

Elsewhere, the number of Spanish, French and Portuguese tourists also rose significantly in 2024. The number of visitors from China surged 52,6 percent compared to 2023, but overall numbers remain a third of what they were in 2019. However, these rises were countered by a decline in tourists from the UK and Gulf States.

While hoteliers and other holiday businesses will be celebrating the higher figures, when it comes to managing visitor numbers, cracks are beginning to show. At the request of locals concerned about the impact of rising visitor numbers on the town, in 2024 Lauterbrunnen announced that it wanted to introduce an entrance fee for tourists, while Lucerne has now imposed a new booking system and fee on holidaymakers who arrive by coach.

10 most common visitors to Switzerland revealed

In all, here are the 10 most common visitors to Switzerland in 2024 (in hotel stays):

1. Switzerland (20,85 million)
2. Germany (3,79 million)
3. United States (3,49 million)
4. United Kingdom (1,62 million)
5. France (1,48 million)
6. Italy (876.654)
7. Gulf States (813.321)
8. China (725.129)
9. The Netherlands (717.685)
10. India (666.641)

For more information about the study, check out the FSO website.

Thumb image credit: Alexandre.ROSA / Shutterstock.com