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‘We will be hit hard’: Swiss tourism officials call to cut quarantine

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‘We will be hit hard’: Swiss tourism officials call to cut quarantine
Closed ski-lifts in Mars, Switzerland. Photo: FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP

The Swiss tourism industry has called on the government to scrap the ten-day quarantine ahead of the winter tourism season.

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Representatives from the 20 largest tourism associations in the hotel, catering, aviation and travel industries have called for drastic changes in Switzerland’s quarantine regime. 

Instead, they have argued in favour of a widespread testing regime which would allow those who test negative to enter the country immediately. 

Several countries which normally supply tens of thousands of tourists to Switzerland each winter have been placed on Switzerland’s high-risk list, including parts of France and Austria. 

Speaking with Switzerland’s NZZ am Sonntag, Martin Nydegger, director of Switzerland Tourism, said changes needed to be made to the current arrangement. 

UPDATE: Everything you need to know about Switzerland's quarantine requirement 

“If French tourists are absent in the coming autumn and winter seasons, we will be hit hard” Nydegger told the NZZ am Sonntag

“The quarantine period must be reduced wherever possible,” said Nydegger. “We demand that business and leisure travellers from risky areas with a negative corona test that is not older than 48 hours should be able to enter Switzerland.”

All arrivals from countries on Switzerland’s high-risk list must go into quarantine. 

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The appropriateness of the requirement has been called into question in recent days, particularly since Switzerland itself also crossed the threshold to officially become a high-risk country

According to the NZZ, winter tourism brings approximately 2 billion francs to Switzerland’s coffers. 

Germany has put in place a widespread testing regime, allowing all arrivals from high-risk areas to avoid the country’s 14-day quarantine requirement with a negative test. 

Pursuant to the regime, arrivals in Germany from high-risk areas must quarantine until they receive their test results. 

 

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