Young guests flock to Lucerne: Nature, mountains and panorama inspire!

Young guests flock to Lucerne: Nature, mountains and panorama inspire!

The tourist season in Lucerne shows gratifying figures in 2024 that indicate an increasing popularity of the region. Lucerne Tourism recently presented the results of a comprehensive guest survey carried out by Switzerland Tourism. Over 22,000 overnight guests from more than 147 origin markets and 180 destinations were interviewed. The survey showed that nature, mountains and panorama are the main travel motif for visitors, which indicates a clear trend towards a natural relaxation.

In addition, the city of Lucerne recorded 1.41 million nights in 2024, an increase of 6.4% compared to the previous year. The overall region of Lucerne-Vierwaldstättersee can show 4,068,528 logging nights, which corresponds to growth of 3.1%. A remarkable trend is the increasing number of young guests who are increasingly interested in the region, reflects by the 625 surveys carried out in Lucerne.

overnight stays and origin of the guests

In the canton of Lucerne, the registered logging nights rose to a total of 2.4 million, which corresponds to an increase of 5% and 107,500 overnight stays compared to 2023. This growth exceeds the Swiss average of 3%. The increase in foreign guests is particularly gratifying, whose overnight stays by 101,900 nights rose to 1.5 million. Swiss guests also contributed to a 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 from the United States was particularly strong, which in 2024 made 29% the largest share among foreign visitors. Compared to the pre-Corona level, the number of the logging nights of international guests exceeded the 2019 values ​​by 25,000 nights.

hotel industry and economic output

The hotel industry in Lucerne also shows positive tendencies. The net utilization of the hotel rooms in 2024 was 68.74%, an increase compared to 66.10% in the previous year. The average room utilization in the city was 69%, while the bed load was 61%. In 2024, an average of 173 hotels and spa businesses that had over 7,090 rooms were open all over Lucerne.

The financial results of Lucerne Tourism in 2024 are just as gratifying: the yield was CHF 15,653,000, with an annual profit of CHF 21,000. This speaks for a positive economic development in the region. However, the introduction of keeping fees led to a significant decline in coaches by 66% at the Schwanenplatz, which gives rise to further considerations about the tourist infrastructure.

fusion projects and future views

Another important point is the merger of the tourist associations of the sea communities, which will act under the name "Tourism Lucerne Riviera" from January 1, 2024. This measure is intended to bundle the tourist offers 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's marketing strategies in order to gain both young and older guests and to establish the region as a popular travel destination.

Overall, it turns out that Lucerne is on the right track to position itself as an attractive tourist destination and to recognize and implement the needs of its visitors, which is promoted by the multitude of different activities and impressive scenic stimuli.