Switzerland Tourism opens office for all seasons in Australia
After more than 12 years without a dedicated presence in the Australian market, Switzerland Tourism will open a marketing office in Sydney next month.
The new office will be headed by Evelyn Lafone, who has been appointed Director for Australia and New Zealand for Switzerland Tourism.
Switzerland Tourism’s effort in Australia and New Zealand will be focus on promoting the Swiss summer and winter seasons and
Federico Sommaruga, Switzerland Tourism's Manager Market Development, in Sydney yesterday
Switzerland’s major cities. The new office will work closely with the media, the travel trade and other local industry partners.
Introducing Evelyn Lafone to the media yesterday, Federico Sommaruga, Switzerland Tourism’s Manager Market Development, said Switzerland Tourism had been able to appoint a very experienced and competent director to this market. For the past four years, he said, Lafone had been Director UK/Iretand in Switzerland Tourism’s office in London.
“She is creative, a hard worker and has a passion for Switzerland. We have found a permanent office in Market Street in Sydney and will be moving in there at the beginning of June.”
Sommaruga said tourism to Switzerland had suffered in 2009, along with the rest of the world, but the first quarter of 2010 was looking very positive.
Switzerland is keen to promote its many summer attractions and get Australians and New Zealanders heading there in the Southern Hemisphere winter. Switzerland Tourism has designated 2010 as the Year of Walking. It will promote the country’s 60,000km of scenic hiking trails, which give visitors access to some of Switzerland’s most picturesque attractions — from the high mountains and rolling hills of the Jura to the idyllic Mittelland and the palm groves of Ticino.
Evelyn Lafone, Switzerland Tourism's new Director for Australia and New Zealand, will head Switzerland Tourism's new office in Sydney's Market Street from June
Walking doesn’t mean hard work, Sommaruga stressed. The idea was to relax and enjoy the wonderful scenery. He showed his Sydney audience a couple of highly amusing new Swiss tourism commercials on the theme of “We do whatever it takes to make your walking holidays perfect”.
New initiatives to promote 32 selected Swiss hikes include exact routes on detailed maps, as well as altitude profiles and tips on culinary highlights along the routes. Travellers can visit MySwitzerland.com/hiking to access zoomable maps and direct links to Google Earth for every route.
Switzerland has brought hiking into the 21st century, replacing hard slog, blisters and sweaty socks with pleasure, grand scenery and fine dining. There’s a free App for iPhones too. Called Swiss Hike, it includes all 32 hike routes with maps and extra hiking information, ranging from altitude profiles to food and drink stops en route. It has GPS so travellers know exactly where they are and where they are heading. Restaurants are included, top sights visitors can see and estimated time of arrival. Hikers can even make reservations.
Locally, Switzerland Tourism is currently revitalising the Australia pages on the website and developing an online training tool for Australian travel agents which should be operational by the end of July.
Written by: Peter Needham
I am looking for accomodation in Arosa Graubunden CH from 3rd June 2012 & 6th June 2012 ( 4 nights) I want Arosa not Davos or Lenzerheide.