JEDDAH: Switzerland is in demand with Gulf travelers, as visitor numbers from the region almost reached 2019 pre-pandemic levels.

Swiss borders reopened in late June for fully jabbed Gulf Cooperation Council tourists and those with a negative COVID-19 test result, and visitors from the region generated 27,139 overnight hotel stays during the July-September period.

The country wants to increase its visitor share from GCC countries, especially Saudi Arabia, through tourism strategies and a new campaign called “Swisstainable.”

“We want to showcase how sustainable travel in Switzerland is,” GCC director for Switzerland Tourism, Matthias Albrecht, told a press conference in Jeddah on Monday. “We are extremely happy and feel quite emotional that we were able to go back to what we do best, to host guests in our magnificent country. We believe with our beautiful nature and uncrowded boutique towns, as well as wide-open landscapes, Switzerland is the natural choice for a post-COVID holiday. Now that borders are open, we are happy to welcome all our guests again.

“And, as Saudi Arabia is an extremely important market for us, we are even more happy to be back in Saudi Arabia and to meet the media and the travel trade again. Guests from Saudi Arabia were extremely loyal and returned right after the crisis – the more people can travel, the more will return to Switzerland.”

Albrecht said the two biggest source markets from the GCC were Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Switzerland Tourism and its partners are visiting Saudi Arabia with a roadshow celebrating the beauty and variety of the European country.

The roadshow is organized and hosted by Switzerland Tourism GCC, with delegates meeting travel representatives and tourism agencies from Saudi Arabia.