Switzerland Tourism Statistics - How Many People Visit? (2024)

Page last updated: 20 January 2025

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

Overview

How many tourists visit Switzerland each year?

Around 17 million to 20 million international tourists visit Switzerland each year. ¹

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 with 18.3 million visitors in 2022 and continued to recover in 2023 with 20.8 million visitors, surpassing the number of tourists by 5% in 2019.

How many people visited Switzerland in 2024?

As of August 2024, 7.04 million tourists visited Switzerland.
- As of September, there were 33.66 million overnight visitors (both domestic and international tourists).

2024 International Tourism Statistics
Month	Tourists Arrival	Overnight Stays
Jan	585,799	3,067,211
Feb	638,139	3,450,380
Mar	710,711	3,328,518
Apr	712,413	2,771,115
May	944,271	3,383,500
Jun	1,135,144	4,066,431
Jul	1,296,023	4,767,417
Aug	1,278,757	4,809,118
Sep	–	4,019,541

Note this is just preliminary data from the Switzerland Federal Council of Statistics and is subject to change with future updates.

How many people visited Switzerland in 2023?

In 2023, Switzerland welcomed a total of 20.8 million visitors. This represented a 5% increase from the peak pre-pandemic year of 2019.

How much do tourists spend in Switzerland every year?

Domestic and international visitors spent over CHF 18.4 billion during trips to Switzerland in 2023.

Inbound tourist revenue in Switzerland generated CHF 18 billion in 2019.
This number decreased to CHF 9.6 billion in 2020 due to coronavirus travel restrictions and fewer international visitors. This increased by 13% in 2021 to CHF 10.9 billion.

In 2022, tourism revenue totalled CHF 16.4 billion. This increased by 12% in 2023 totalling CHF 18.4 billion, surpassing 2019’s total revenue.

How much money does Switzerland make from tourism?

In 2023, a total of CHF 18.4 billion was spent by tourists in Switzerland.

Which country visits Switzerland the most?

The leading source of foreign tourists to Switzerland is Germany, followed by the United States, France, the United Kingdom, and Italy.²

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 7.3%, with 1.4 million tourist visits.

France accounted for 802,724 international visits with a market share of 3.86%.

How much is the total tourism expenditure in Switzerland?

According to the Federal Statistical Office, Switzerland’s total tourism revenue in 2023 was CHF 18.4 billion.

How long do visitors stay in Switzerland?

In 2019, inbound tourists generally spent 9.8 days exploring Switzerland’s popular cities and attractions.
In 2021 and 2022, the average length of stay was 10.5 and 8 days, respectively.

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Economic Impact – Switzerland Tourism Statistics

Tourism is deeply embedded in Swiss society, especially in mountain regions, attracting millions of tourists annually, who account for 55 million overnight stays. In 2021, tourism contributed about 3% (nearly CHF 15 billion) to the economy.
Tourism is a major economic sector in the Alpine regions, employing around 4% of Switzerland’s workforce. Half of the hotel guests are international, with most visitors coming from Germany.

What are Switzerland’s peak tourist months?

In 2023, July, August, September, June and May were Switzerland’s most popular tourist months.

In July and August 2023, Switzerland welcomed 2.3 million visitors as these months mark the height of summer and provide the ideal weather for festivals, lake activities, and exploring the countryside.

Drawing 2.2 million visitors in 2023, September is popular for its pleasant weather and fewer crowds, making it perfect for sightseeing and outdoor adventures.

June 2023 saw 2.1 million visitors, due to Switzerland’s mild weather, perfect for hiking and enjoying outdoor activities in the Swiss Alps.

May welcomed 1.7 million visitors because of the spring bloom and the beginning of the warmer weather. This month is ideal for early hiking and exploring scenic landscapes.

How popular is Switzerland as a tourist destination?

Smaller countries often have fewer guests overall, but Switzerland had 0.5 tourists per resident in 2021, ranking 43rd worldwide and 6th in Western Europe in terms of destination popularity.
In 2021, Switzerland’s tourism sector generated $12.13 billion, representing 1.4% of its GDP and 11% of all international tourism receipts in Western Europe.⁴

Why do people visit Switzerland?

The majority of visitors travelled to Switzerland for leisure activities (54%) in 2022, highlighting Switzerland’s appeal as a holiday destination.

19% of visits were for visiting friends and relatives and business travel represented 5.3%.

Various other purposes account for a notable portion of visits, reflecting diverse reasons for visiting beyond leisure and business.

Best places to visit in Switzerland

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.

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References

SFCS: Switzerland Tourism in Figures ↩︎
SFCS: Tourism Arrivals per Origin ↩︎
WDI: Switzerland Rankings ↩︎