Exclusive Interview with Mr. Christoph Buehler, Consul General and Head of Swiss Business Hub Middle East

Switzerland’s tourism appeal to Gulf travellers goes far beyond its iconic Alpine imagery, as Christoph Buehler, Consul General and Head of Swiss Business Hub Middle East, explains in this exclusive interview. With GCC visitors generating around 810,000 hotel overnight stays in 2025, the UAE alone accounting for more than a third, Buehler discusses what draws Emirati and Gulf travellers to Switzerland, from cooler summers and Alpine landscapes to safety and seamless transport. He also shares insights on encouraging longer stays, promoting hidden gems beyond traditional hotspots, tailoring digital marketing to the region, and the role of Arabian Travel Market in deepening ties between Switzerland and the Gulf’s travel industry.

How would you describe the current level of tourism relations between Switzerland and the UAE?

Tourism is an important part of our bilateral relationship. In 2025, travellers from the GCC generated around 810,000 hotel overnight stays in Switzerland, with the UAE accounting for more than one third. Gulf travellers are particularly important for our major cities and well-known Alpine destinations, but they are also discovering a much broader range of regions across the country.

What makes Switzerland particularly attractive to travellers from the UAE and the wider Gulf?

Switzerland offers a strong combination of cooler summer temperatures, beautiful landscapes, privacy, safety, excellent hotels and a very reliable transport system. I grew up near Interlaken, so of course I know first-hand how beautiful that part of Switzerland is. But even after having lived in Switzerland for most of my life, I still regularly discover places I did not know before. That is one of the things I value most about the country: there is always another valley, lake, village or mountain area to explore.

How can Switzerland encourage visitors from the UAE to stay longer and return more frequently?

The average hotel stay of GCC visitors was around 2.6 nights in 2025, so there is clearly potential to encourage longer and more diverse itineraries. Switzerland may be small, but there is a lot to discover within relatively short distances. Repeat visitors are particularly interesting because once they know the usual hotspots, they are often much more open to exploring lesser-known regions and travelling in different seasons.

Are you looking to promote destinations beyond Switzerland’s traditional tourism hotspots?

Absolutely. One of Switzerland’s strengths is precisely that there is much more to discover beyond the usual hotspots. Switzerland Tourism actively promotes a broad range of destinations, from cities and lakes to Alpine and more rural regions. I personally think there are still many “hidden gems” to discover, even for Swiss people themselves.

And getting around is part of the experience. Many visitors use the Swiss Travel Pass, which provides extensive access to trains, buses and even ships across the country.

How is Switzerland marketed today to travellers in the UAE and the Gulf?

The approach is increasingly digital and tailored to the region. Switzerland Tourism works across social media, with travel agencies in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, GCC-based influencers and its regional Brand Ambassador Ms Aseel Omran. It has also developed regional podcasts and an inspiration map in Arabic and English. The aim is to show that Switzerland offers much more than the classic images people may already know.

How important is sustainability in attracting Gulf travellers to Switzerland?

Sustainability is not yet one of the strongest travel drivers in the GCC market, but sustainability is very much embedded in the Swiss tourism experience. Public transport is probably the clearest example: you can move comfortably between cities, lakes and mountain regions without needing a car.

And in Switzerland, the journey itself is often part of the experience. Switzerland Tourism illustrated this very nicely in in a video with Roger Federer and Trevor Noah that went viral. It showed that a train journey through Switzerland can become the story itself.

What role does Arabian Travel Market play in strengthening tourism relations?

It remains important because tourism is a relationship business. Switzerland Tourism normally brings around 60 selected GCC travel agents together with Swiss destinations, hotels and attractions around ATM. These personal contacts help turn general interest in Switzerland into concrete travel products and itineraries.

Where do you see the greatest potential for tourism cooperation in the coming years?

I see the greatest potential in encouraging repeat visitors to discover more of Switzerland, broadening travel beyond the July–August peak and promoting a wider range of destinations. Personally, I would also be very happy to see more visitors experience Switzerland outside summer – the crisp air in winter, autumn colours, skiing, or simply a good meal in a mountain restaurant. The goal should not only be more visitors, but longer stays, more regions discovered and more reasons to come back.