Young guests flock to Lucerne: nature, mountains and panoramas inspire!

Young guests flock to Lucerne: nature, mountains and panoramas inspire!

The tourist season in Lucerne will show encouraging figures in 2024, indicating the region's increasing popularity. Lucerne Tourism recently presented the results of a comprehensive guest survey conducted by Switzerland Tourism. Over 22,000 overnight guests from more than 147 origin markets and 180 destinations were surveyed. The survey found that nature, mountains and panoramas are the main travel motivations for visitors, indicating a clear trend towards recreation close to nature.

In addition, the city of Lucerne recorded 1.41 million overnight stays in 2024, an increase of 6.4% compared to the previous year. The Lucerne-Lake Lucerne region as a whole can boast 4,068,528 overnight stays, which corresponds to growth of 3.1%. A notable trend is the increasing number of young guests who are increasingly interested in the region, reflected in the 625 surveys carried out in Lucerne.

Overnight stays and origin of guests

In the canton of Lucerne, registered overnight stays rose to a total of 2.4 million in 2024, which corresponds to an increase of 5% or 107,500 overnight stays compared to 2023. This increase exceeds the Swiss average of 3%. The increase in foreign guests is particularly pleasing, with overnight stays increasing by 101,900 nights to 1.5 million. Swiss guests also contributed to the positive development with an increase of 5,600 nights to a total of 0.9 million.

The city of Lucerne itself recorded 58% of the overnight stays in the entire canton. Growth was particularly strong among guests from the USA, who made up the largest share of foreign visitors in 2024 at 29%. Compared to pre-Corona levels, the number of overnight stays by international guests exceeded the 2019 figures by 25,000 nights.

Hotel industry and economic performance

The hotel industry in Lucerne is also showing positive trends. Net hotel room occupancy was 68.74% in 2024, an increase from 66.10% the previous year. The average room occupancy in the city was 69%, while bed occupancy was 61%. In 2024, an average of 173 hotels and spas were open throughout Lucerne and had 7,090 rooms.

The financial results of Lucerne Tourism in 2024 are just as pleasing: the income was 15,653,000 francs, with an annual profit of 21,000 francs. This speaks for positive economic development in the region. However, the introduction of stopping fees led to a significant 66% decrease in the number of coaches at Schwanenplatz, which gives rise to further consideration of the tourism infrastructure.

Merger projects and future prospects

Another important point is the merger of the tourist associations of the lakeside communities, which will operate under the name “Tourism Lucerne Riviera” from January 1, 2024. This measure is intended to bundle the tourist offerings in the region and thus further increase the attractiveness for visitors.

In order to promote future development, the demand for nature and outdoor activities will continue to be the focus of Lucerne Tourism's marketing strategies to attract both young and older guests and establish the region as a popular travel destination.

Overall, it shows that Lucerne is well on the way to positioning itself as an attractive tourist destination and recognizing and implementing the needs of its visitors, which is promoted by the variety of different activities and impressive scenic attractions.