Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Wednesday
Swiss population remains optimistic about their future; more people from the US have visited Switzerland; and other news in our roundup on Wednesday.
People in Switzerland are optimistic about their lives in 2024
Even though the Swiss population expects an increasingly unstable world in the future, their confidence in good personal lives is not shaken.
These are the findings of the ‘Hope Barometer” survey carried out at the University of St. Gallen.
While most of those surveyed (67.6 percent) expressed concern about the evolution of global politics and other events in 2024, they remain unwaveringly positive about their own lives.
“There is a big dissonance between what Swiss people expect from their personal lives and how they assess the future of the world,” the study’s author, Andreas Krafft, pointed out.
Increasing number of Swiss drivers opt for electric cars
Nearly one in five new automobiles sold in Switzerland in 2023 was an electric model.
Their market share increased from 17.3 to 20.9 percent in one year, data published this week by Swiss eMobility organisation indicates.
But while electric vehicles (EVs) are better for the environment than cars running on petrol, their owners face some challenges, according to Swiss eMobility.
One is that though Switzerland has one of the densest networks of public charging stations in the world, there is a lack of private charging stations, as many landlords don’t allow tenants to install a terminal.
Another challenge is that from January 1st, EVs will no longer be exempted from import tax but will be subject to the same 4-percent import duty imposed on traditional fuel vehicles.
READ ALSO: Why electric car owners in Switzerland will have to pay tax in future
The number of US tourists in Switzerland has grown significantly
In the first nine months of 2023, nearly 22 percent more Americans visited Switzerland than in 2019 — the last year before the pandemic put an end to international travel.
This is what emerges from latest figures published by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).
Americans are coming to Switzerland even though the exchange rate between the US dollar and the franc is not favourable, making the country particularly expensive for these tourists.
On the other hand however, inflation rate in Switzerland is lower than in the USA and other European countries, which is a perk for American tourists, according to tourism expert Jürg Stettler.
READ ALSO: Will American tourists need to pay a fee to visit Switzerland?
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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People in Switzerland are optimistic about their lives in 2024
Even though the Swiss population expects an increasingly unstable world in the future, their confidence in good personal lives is not shaken.
These are the findings of the ‘Hope Barometer” survey carried out at the University of St. Gallen.
While most of those surveyed (67.6 percent) expressed concern about the evolution of global politics and other events in 2024, they remain unwaveringly positive about their own lives.
“There is a big dissonance between what Swiss people expect from their personal lives and how they assess the future of the world,” the study’s author, Andreas Krafft, pointed out.
Increasing number of Swiss drivers opt for electric cars
Nearly one in five new automobiles sold in Switzerland in 2023 was an electric model.
Their market share increased from 17.3 to 20.9 percent in one year, data published this week by Swiss eMobility organisation indicates.
But while electric vehicles (EVs) are better for the environment than cars running on petrol, their owners face some challenges, according to Swiss eMobility.
One is that though Switzerland has one of the densest networks of public charging stations in the world, there is a lack of private charging stations, as many landlords don’t allow tenants to install a terminal.
Another challenge is that from January 1st, EVs will no longer be exempted from import tax but will be subject to the same 4-percent import duty imposed on traditional fuel vehicles.
READ ALSO: Why electric car owners in Switzerland will have to pay tax in future
The number of US tourists in Switzerland has grown significantly
In the first nine months of 2023, nearly 22 percent more Americans visited Switzerland than in 2019 — the last year before the pandemic put an end to international travel.
This is what emerges from latest figures published by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).
Americans are coming to Switzerland even though the exchange rate between the US dollar and the franc is not favourable, making the country particularly expensive for these tourists.
On the other hand however, inflation rate in Switzerland is lower than in the USA and other European countries, which is a perk for American tourists, according to tourism expert Jürg Stettler.
READ ALSO: Will American tourists need to pay a fee to visit Switzerland?
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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