Travellers to Switzerland are booking earlier and spending more

Switzerland Travel Centre has conducted a thorough analysis of booking trends in four major markets: the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia. The analysis shows that the average booking value in all four markets has increased since last year. At the same time, trips are being planned earlier. However, it should be noted that bookings for trips in 2026 have not yet been finalised. Therefore, the figures reflect the current situation and do not represent a final annual total.

This trend is most evident in the US market. Compared with the previous year, the average booking value has risen from around CHF 4,900 to CHF 6,100 – an increase of around 24 per cent. At the same time, the average length of stay has increased from six to seven nights.

Average booking values are also rising in the other surveyed markets: by around 12 per cent in the UK to CHF 5,330; by around 11 per cent in Australia to CHF 4,600; and by around 7 per cent in Germany.

"We are seeing higher average booking values in all four markets surveyed. This trend is particularly pronounced in the USA. Price trends in Switzerland are likely to have contributed to this. At the same time, we are seeing high demand for additional services and more exclusive offers, particularly in long-haul markets", says Markus Kohli, CEO of Switzerland Travel Centre.

These include luggage transport, for example, which is frequently booked by guests from the USA in particular. First-class travel is also particularly popular in long-haul markets such as the USA and Australia. However, no general trend towards higher-class hotels can be observed. Here, the available options and value for money remain the primary deciding factors.

The trend regarding the timing of bookings is even clearer: holidays to Switzerland are currently being booked earlier than last year in all four of the surveyed markets. For the same travel periods, the median booking lead time has increased by around 10 days for US visitors, nine days for UK visitors, 13 days for German visitors and 12 days for Australian visitors.

Australian guests plan their trips particularly early, with a median lead time of around 154 days. However, the UK stands out in particular. For around two years now, STC has observed that British guests are booking earlier and earlier. This behaviour is increasingly aligning with that of traditional long-haul markets such as the US and Australia. British tour operators currently have some of the highest levels of advance bookings for 2027.

"The UK is of particular interest to us. In terms of travel planning, the market is increasingly behaving like a long-haul market. British guests and tour operators are securing their trips to Switzerland much earlier than they did just a few years ago", explains Markus Kohli.

However, there has been little change in terms of preferred travel periods. May, June and September remain among the months with the highest number of bookings. Although STC is also receiving bookings for April and October, growth in these months is limited by restricted operating hours and availability, particularly in Alpine destinations.

Since the pandemic, STC has observed an increasing trend towards longer stays and "Mono-Swiss" trips, where Switzerland is the main destination rather than just part of a European tour. However, a slight counter-trend is emerging for 2026, with Italy and France regaining their appeal for overseas visitors and becoming increasingly popular as part of a combined trip with Switzerland.

At the same time, individual markets are developing differently. Visitors from the USA continue to express strong interest in privately guided tours with local guides. Interest in the Lake Geneva region is on the rise in French-speaking Canada. In the Dutch market, train journeys through Switzerland are becoming more popular. Some visitors from India are booking very high-end hotels. STC is also observing a trend towards more independent travel from Japan – so-called FIT (Free Independent Traveller) trips – and, in some cases, bespoke packages.

"There is no single type of international visitor to Switzerland. Needs vary greatly from market to market. It is therefore becoming increasingly important for us to put together flexible packages and tailor them to specific expectations. The trend towards more personalised trips and authentic, locally guided experiences is particularly exciting", says Kohli.

Note on the figures: This analysis is based on the current booking figures for trips in 2026 provided by Switzerland Travel Centre (up to and including the third quarter). These figures are not yet finalised. For the year-on-year comparison, identical travel periods were taken into account. Duplicate bookings have been adjusted at booking level for the analysis. Statements regarding individual product groups are partly based on free-text descriptions and should therefore be interpreted as indicative of trends rather than as definitive market statistics.