Alpine competitiveness – silver for Zermatt

As part of the “International Benchmarking Programme for Swiss Tourism” project, BAK Economics was commissioned by the main holiday regions in Switzerland to conduct a regular analysis of tourism performance and competitiveness in the Alps. The latest ranking was published today; Zermatt has jumped to second place and is only 0.1 index points behind the winner – Kleinwalsertal (Vorarlberg). Lucerne is the second Swiss destination on the winners’ podium. Places five to fifteen are all occupied by Austrian, German and Italian destinations.

“TOPINDEX” used as measuring tool

The analysis looked at the figures from 2019 from around 150 Alpine destinations and 40 Alpine regions within Europe, around 45 European towns and cities and 30 Swiss holiday destinations. The “BAK TOPINDEX” was used to measure the Alpine destinations and compare them internationally. The index figure was calculated using the market share growth, hotel industry occupancy rate and a destination's earnings power.

No product issues

“We are thrilled with the result as it shows that our tourism products and services are extremely competitive. This has helped us to look to the future with confidence,” says Daniel Luggen, Director of Tourism for Zermatt–Matterhorn. Even if the coronavirus crisis has significantly impacted current business, the product is not the issue. This is encouraging for all service partners who are currently experiencing tough times. “We are well set up for post-COVID, and we’re going to make the most of it,” says Luggen.