Switzerland Tourism Statistics

Switzerland is famous for its beautiful mountain views, great ski resorts, and charming towns, drawing millions of visitors every year.

Over 20 million international tourists visit Switzerland in recent year¹.

• In 2019, Switzerland welcomed 19.76 million international visitors, marking the highest number of recorded visitors in pre-pandemic years.
• When the pandemic started in 2020, this number dropped by 46% to 10.7 million visits.
• By 2021, Switzerland experienced a 28% increase in international tourism with 13.69 million visitors.
• Inbound tourism rose to 18.32 million visitors in 2022 and continued to recover in 2023 with 20.8 million visitors, surpassing the number of tourists by 5% in 2019.
• In 2024, Switzerland welcomed 21.5 million international visitors, a 3.4% increase from 2023.

How many people visited Switzerland in 2025?

As of September 2025, 34.40 million overnight stays were recorded in Swiss hotels, representing about a 2% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

• International visitors accounted for 17.95 million overnight stays, while domestic visitors contributed 16.45 million stays through September 2025.

How many people visited Switzerland in 2024?

• Switzerland welcomed 33.6 million tourists in 2024. International tourists made up the majority of Switzerland’s visitors at 64% (21.5 million), while domestic visitors accounted for 36% (12.1 million) of total tourists in 2024.

The leading source of foreign tourists to Switzerland is Germany, followed by the United States, France, the United Kingdom, and Italy1.

• In 2023, Germany was the top source of international visitors to Switzerland, accounting for 1.7 million tourists with 8.19% of the market share.
• The United States also contributed about 7%, with 1.46 million tourist visits.
• France accounted for 802,724 international visits with a market share of 3.86%.

• Tourism is deeply embedded in Swiss society, especially in mountain regions, attracting millions of tourists annually, who account for 42.83 million overnight stays. In 2024, tourism contributed about 3% (approximately CHF 19-20 billion) to the economy.
• Tourism is a major economic sector in the Alpine regions, employing around 4% of Switzerland’s workforce (approximately 167,000 full-time jobs). Half of the hotel guests are international, with most visitors coming from Germany and the United States.

August was the peak tourist month in Switzerland in 2024.

• August was the busiest month with 3.78 million visitors in 2024, followed by July with 3.75 million, June with 3.20 million, and September with 3.16 million.

• The majority of visitors travelled to Switzerland for leisure activities (54%) in 2024, highlighting Switzerland’s appeal as a holiday destination.
• An additional 19% of visits were for visiting friends and relatives (VFR), while business travel represented 5.3%.
• Various other purposes account for a notable portion of visits, reflecting diverse reasons for visiting beyond leisure and business.

• Interlaken, located in between Lake Brienz and Lake Thun, is one of the best places to visit. It offers beautiful scenery for hiking, biking, boat cruises, and mountain views from the Harder Kulm observation deck via a funicular.
• Lake Lucerne is surrounded by mountains and mediaeval buildings, with an old town full of historic sites, lively squares, shops, and old churches.
• Zermatt, a car-free town in the Swiss Alps, is perfect for skiing or snowboarding and is home to the famous Matterhorn and Switzerland’s highest ski resort.
• Zurich, a cosmopolitan city, appeals to all travellers with attractions like Lake Zurich, trendy bars, top restaurants, Lindenhof Park, and unique neighbourhoods.
• Lake Geneva is known for its views, the headquarters of the Red Cross and the UN, the Jet d’Eau, and its charming old town with cobblestone streets and squares.