Photos: New York and London, two popular Swiss destinations

St Gallen, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Switzerland had "one of its most travel-intensive years ever," but the number of days that individuals are spending on private travel fell to less than a week on average per trip. Shorter and longer trips have replaced the traditional two-week trip. The findings are part of the 17th survey carried out since 1972 at the University of St Gall to track private travel by the Swiss. Airplane travel and hotels, notably four- and five-star, grew in popularity, a result of increasing long-distance travel. Switzerland itself remains the most popular destination but trips elsewhere are mainly made to foreign countries that are not Swiss neighbours. Most frequent travellers are people from small households with good incomes, especially for travel abroad.

The strong economy and relatively inexpensive air travel are behind the increase in travel, according to the survey’s authors, who note that changes to both in recent months make it uncertain if the trends will continue.

Abstract in English, Travel Market Switzerland 2007