focus
Mirror of
Asia’s rising
wealth
Look no further than to a spike in FIT and
high-end group travel to Switzerland as a
mirror of how Asia-Pacific has blossomed as
a luxury travel market, Raini Hamdi writes
Switzerland ice days
48 TTG Asia luxury | May 2018
Think of it as a kind of natural selection. If
Switzerland were a handbag, it would be a Chanel
or Hermès, coveted for their quality and prestige,
but available only to those who can afford the eye-
watering price tag. For centuries, the small yet richly
diverse country has drawn wealthy Americans,
Italians, Germans and other Europeans to it for
alpine adventures, culture & history, gastronomy,
wellness retreat and other delights. Now the magnet
is facing east.
China aside, South-east Asian markets have
become exciting for Swiss top-end players, including
the House of Gübelin and Clinique La Prairie (see
page 51) which are present at the first ILTM Asia-
Pacific in Singapore this month to raise awareness of
their attractions to Asian luxury travel buyers.
Their effort is not a shot in the dark. Switzerland
Tourism reports that there is roughly 50 per cent
more five-star hotel overnights in Switzerland
from Asia (excluding China) in the last five to
longhaul switzerland