Saint-Moritz and its Prada chairlifts, Verbier and its view of the Matterhorn, Crans Montana and its insolent beauty, or the lesser-known resort of Laax which will delight ski enthusiasts... Switzerland also counts on its summits some of the most beautiful resorts in the world.
But to hit the slopes in our neighbor you have to plan an increasingly higher budget, knowing that winter sports already cost much more than in France.
And there too, inflation is reaching peaks.
With the strong recovery in tourism, the price of a week's ski vacation in Switzerland is expected to cost 24% more than in 2022 at the height of this winter season due to a sharp increase in travel costs. accommodation, according to a study by the Cler bank.
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For the period from February 10 to 17, accommodation costs are expected to increase by 41% on average compared to the same week during the 2022 winter season, which marked the beginning of a return to normal after the Covid pandemic. -19, according to this study carried out with the forecasting institute BAK Economics.
By comparison, equipment rental costs should increase “barely” by 1%, according to their estimates.
Strong disparities
Published at the beginning of January, this study evaluates the evolution of costs since the resumption in 2022, taking into account accommodation, equipment rental and ski passes.
It estimates the costs for a couple staying in a four-star hotel as well as for students sharing an apartment or for a family including the costs of a ski school for two children.
It highlights strong disparities from one resort to another, with a week of skiing during these dates costing between 3,543 Swiss francs (3,765 euros) for a family in the Airolo resort, in the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland, and 6969 francs in the chic resort of Verbier.
For a family with two children, the cost rises to 8,470 francs in Saas-Fee, a popular resort in the Valais Alps.
Compared to 2022, the cost of a week of skiing is expected to increase by 33% for a family, 22% for students and 15% for a couple.
However, these estimates do not take into account exchange rate variations as the Swiss franc has increased significantly against the euro, further increasing the cost of a stay in Switzerland.
Also read Where to ski in Valais?
From Zermatt to Crans-Montana, great skiing facing the giants of the Alps
New attendance record in sight
“The current price increases in the Swiss tourism sector not only reflect increasing costs, but are also an indicator of strong demand
,” explain the authors of the study in a press release.
As early as November, when they compared the offers to track the evolution of costs since 2022, the cheapest accommodations were already full.
Switzerland has also benefited from the strong recovery in tourism in 2023 and
is “moving towards a new record”,
they emphasize.
Statistics for tourist accommodation in 2023 will not be published until February 22.
But between January and November, the Swiss hotel industry has already recorded 38.5 million overnight stays, approaching the record of 2019 when they stood at 39.6 million for the whole year.
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