The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Switzerland offers swish holidays

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Friday, Mar 18, 2011
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Switzerland offers swish holidays

Staff Reporter

Tapping the potential:India is one of the fastest growing markets for Switzerland Tourism worldwide, according to Michael Maeder, its managing director in the country.

BANGALORE: If all those Yash Raj heroines, clad in light chiffon saris and romancing their leading men on snow-capped mountains, make you yearn to visit Switzerland, maybe it's time you check out the real thing. Switzerland Tourism will make it happen for more Indians to experience the Alpine meadows, go on scenic mountain trails and enjoy the sophisticated nightlife in the heart of Europe.

Fastest growing

Switzerland Tourism saw a total of four lakh overnights spent by Indians in Switzerland last year and is targeting an additional 25 per cent growth. With Switzerland becoming a part of the Schengen visa agreement adding to the ease of travellers, both India and China have emerged as the fastest growing source markets for the country.

Commenting on the trend at a press conference here on Thursday, Michael Maeder, managing director, Switzerland Tourism, India, said: “India is one of the fastest growing markets for Switzerland Tourism worldwide. We are committed to promoting the various products that we have on offer to the Indian outbound.”

Switzerland Tourism is introducing two new regions as partners — Ticino, the Italian-speaking region in the south, and the French-speaking Lake Geneva region. Switzerland Tourism is also planning to focus more on the promotion of Switzerland as a meetings and incentive groups (MICE) destination, apart from the free individual travellers (FIT) and honeymoon segments. There are also plans to pursue the south Indian market more aggressively with more consumer-centric events and training sessions for travel agents, particularly in Bangalore

Apartments

Swiss International Airlines already has daily flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Zürich and onwards. Swiss Tours, a subsidiary of the airlines in India, is set to offer 7,800 apartment options in Switzerland from this year. The apartments can be booked on a weekly basis and are available from Rs. 2,000 per person per night.

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