The Swiss prefer travelling to Italy and have a budget of around CHF 4,000 – 18% more than last year

• 73% plan to travel during the summer holiday period, 18% within Switzerland
• Over 80% of Swiss residents are spending their holidays with family
• Due to inflation, 53% are opting for cheaper accommodation

Adliswil – The Generali company, Europ Assistance, presents the 23rd edition of its Holiday Barometer in partnership with the market research institute, Ipsos. 1,000 people were surveyed in 21 countries for the annual study – including in Switzerland. The Holiday Barometer provides information about emerging trends and travel preferences. The survey takes account of current world events and includes issues such as inflation, geopolitical uncertainty and environmental sustainability.

Family holidays are extremely popular

Who do the Swiss prefer going on a summer holiday with? More than 80% favour doing this with their family, while 64% travel as a couple with their partner. Single parents travel with children in 30% of cases, while 16% holiday both on their own or with friends.

Sea over mountains – Bella Italia provides the ultimate holiday feeling

Swiss residents clearly prefer Italy when it comes to their summer holidays. More than a quarter (26%) choose our southern neighbour. However, France (17%) and Spain (16%) are also extremely popular. These three countries are also among the top destinations for holidaymakers from the UK, Belgium and Portugal. In Switzerland, people also seem to want to compensate for the lack of seawater during the summer: 65% opt for holidays by the sea, 31% for a city break and 28% for rural destinations. At least 20% plan to visit the mountains, according to the findings of the Holiday Barometer from Generali and Europ Assistance.

Overall, 73% of respondents say they plan to travel this summer. The majority are going abroad, but will also enjoy time in their own country: 18% of Swiss residents spend their summer holidays at home. By comparison, this figure is 46% in Spain and 42% in both France and Italy.

What matters most is the weather

For 46% of Swiss residents, the weather is the main factor when choosing a holiday destination. If they like somewhere, they tend to be loyal: 40% choose a destination because they have already been there and want to go back.

Holiday destination: relaxation

The weather is half the story. But how do the Swiss spend their holidays? The top three answers to the question ‘what would you like to do during your ideal summer holiday’ are: relax and seek inner peace (64%), spend quality time with family or friends (59%) and discover new cultures and enjoy a change of scenery (54%).

Comfort takes precedence

Although sustainability is a hot topic, the journey to a holiday destination should be comfortable and practical. For 59% of respondents, this is the key criteria when selecting their means of transport. For 57%, i.e. significantly more than half, this is air travel. 40% prefer to travel in their own car. 22% say their chosen means of travel is the only possible way of reaching their destination. The Swiss like to stay in hotels (56%), a quarter prefer rental accommodation and 20% stay with family and friends.

Creative approach to price rises

The Europ Assistance survey shows that inflation continues to affect travel budgets. However, the Swiss are remarkably adaptable. They are choosing cheaper accommodation (53%) and planning to travel to fewer destinations (52%) to stick to their travel plans despite price rises. 45% aim to reduce their spending on food, sightseeing and activities to offset the impact of price increases on their holiday budget.

Increased household budget for summer holidays despite inflation

Unsurprisingly, Swiss residents have the highest budget in Europe for their summer holidays. While the European average is EUR 2,446 (about CHF 2,400), people in Switzerland have a budget of around EUR 4,073 (about CHF 4,000) per household for transport, accommodation, meals and local activities. In comparison, their budget was CHF 3,400 in 2023. Only travellers from the US (EUR 3,952) and Australia (EUR 3,792) have a similarly high summer holiday budget.

Around 52% are also considering taking out travel insurance to cover their next holiday.

The market research institute, Ipsos, conducted the Holiday Barometer 2024 on behalf of Europ Assistance. The survey was completed between 27 March and 22 April 2024. In Switzerland, 1,001 consumers over the age of 18 responded to the online survey.