Tourism Parahotel industry down in 2024 due to fewer Swiss guests
In contrast to hotels, the Swiss parahotel industry did not experience a record year in 2024. The number of overnight stays in vacation apartments, on campsites and in collective accommodation fell.
19.06.2025, 09:15
19.06.2025, 10:08
SDA
The parahotel industry recorded a total of 17.3 million overnight stays, as reported by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) on Thursday. This corresponds to a decline of 1.5 percent compared to the previous year.
Overnight stays by foreign tourists, meanwhile, rose by 3.7 percent to 5.8 million. With 11.5 million overnight stays, however, the 3.9 percent decline in guests from Switzerland was significantly more significant than the increase in overnight stays by foreigners. Domestic customers thus continued to account for two thirds of all overnight stays.
Vacation apartments lead the way despite decline
The majority of overnight stays in the parahotel industry in 2024 were again in commercially managed vacation apartments. Their market share was 40.8 percent. However, demand fell by 2.2% to 7.1 million overnight stays. The highest demand was recorded in the Lake Geneva region with 2.6 million overnight stays.
Foreign demand for vacation apartments also rose by 5.5 percent to 2.9 million, while overnight stays by Swiss guests fell by 6.9 percent to 4.2 million. Four-fifths of foreign overnight stays came from guests from Europe.
Fewer overnight stays at campsites
The number of overnight stays in collective accommodation remained stable at 5.4 million. Guests from Switzerland generated 4.4 million overnight stays (-0.3 percent), while 1.0 million overnight stays (+0.7 percent) came from abroad. Three quarters of foreign guests came from Europe. Eastern Switzerland was the most booked major region with 1.5 million overnight stays.
A total of 4.8 million overnight stays were recorded at Swiss campsites in 2024 - a decrease of 2.0%. Here too, the decline was due to domestic demand, which fell by 4.8% to 2.9 million overnight stays. In contrast, foreign demand increased by 2.7% to 1.9 million overnight stays.
Slight growth in tourism overall
Despite the decline in the para-hotel sector, overnight stays by tourists in Switzerland increased overall in 2024. Including the 41.8 million overnight stays in hotels, 60.1 million overnight stays were recorded - an increase of 1.4% compared to the previous year.
Demand from abroad rose by 4.8% to 27.8 million overnight stays. In contrast, the number of overnight stays by Swiss guests fell by 1.4 percent to 32.4 million.
