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Abstract |
Due to the corona pandemic, many Swiss people stayed in Switzerland in the summer of 2020. According to a survey (SRG & sotomo 2020), in May 2020, 49% had planned longer holidays abroad for summer 2020 and were then tending to change to excursions and shorter holidays in Switzerland due to the changed situation. What the forecasts predicted actually came true: a large proportion of the Swiss population, including many who otherwise travel abroad, spent their main holidays in a Swiss holiday region. Many hotels in the mountain cantons recorded an increase in bookings. The biggest losers were the cities and destinations with otherwise many international arrivals (Nau 2020). This development was seen in many European countries. Covid has brought about major changes in travel behavior due to closed borders and many people have vacationed in their own country. (YouGov 2020). Due to that, many Swiss might have got to know their country newly in one way or another in summer 2020. The preference for holidays in ones own country suggests the hypothesis that experiences of nature-based and culture-related tourism were given additional importance. Characteristically, this type of holiday experience takes place in natural areas and nature-based cultural landscapes (Siegrist et al. 2019). As part of a qualitative survey the changes in perception of Switzerland as a holiday destination, due to the altered starting position of domestic guests because of the corona pandemic, were analysed and evaluated. The questions asked were whether new holiday qualities in Switzerland were discovered, changes in attitudes and activities occurred (Pine & Gilmore 2013) or how cultural and natural attractions visited were perceived. |
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