six years. Nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of
Singapore travellers in Switzerland stay
at five-star hotels, for example, and 14 per
cent of Taiwanese visitors, said Ivan Breiter,
Switzerland Tourism director of South-east
Asia. Switzerland expects an annual growth
rate of about five to six per cent in the
number of high-yield FIT and group travel
from Asia-Pacific markets.
“We see growth from all the Asia-
Pacific markets. Very strong increases from
Singapore, Australia, Taiwan, India and
Thailand but also Japan and particularly
South Korea,” said Breiter.
His strategy to fuel the boom varies by
market. In Australia, for instance, the focus is
more on active luxury experiences for FITs. In
South-east Asia, Switzerland Tourism focuses
largely on incentive travel, while in Japan it
is intensifying partnerships with additional
luxury travel agents.
“Our tourism infrastructure and price
range are not set up for mass tourism, rather
for guests that are looking for individuality,
exclusivity and a luxury experience. Thus, as
outbound travel from Asia-Pacific increases,
we are getting more of the higher-end
customers.”
Gübelin’s director tourism, Beat Dreier,
smells a whiff of “higher turnover” from
bigger numbers of high-end FITs and small
upscale groups from Asia. The well-known
house of exquisite jewellery, gemstones and
watches expects a yearly increase of six to
eight per cent from the region.
“Hong Kong is of course central to our
family-owned Swiss company which dates
back to 1854. We opened a branch (in Hong
Kong) of our well-known Gübelin Gem
Lab in 2010, then our Private Salon and the
Gübelin Academy in 2013. But from the
point of view of South-east Asia, Thailand,
Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia are
relevant for us. We recognise their growing
potential with good buying power, so we
are targeting these markets, even though we
have noticed that so far that their average
spending is slightly lower than China’s.
“We attend the first ILTM Asia-Pacific in
Singapore to see new and old friends, meet
new tour operators and MICE buyers from
the entire Asia-Pacific who have business in
Switzerland or intend to,” said Dreier.
Gubelin expects six to eight per cent growth from Asia
“Our tourism infrastructure
and price range are not set
up for mass tourism...thus as
outbound travel from Asia-
Pacific increases, we are
getting more of the higher-
end customers.”
Ivan Breiter
Director of South-east Asia, Switzerland Tourism
TTG Asia luxury | May 2018 49