(File Photo)

Marcel Perren, head of the Tourism Office in Lucerne, expressed confidence in China’s contributions to recover Switzerland economy.

“More cooperation between China and Switzerland will be carried out and a five to ten percent customer growth is expected in 2017, which is the China-Switzerland tourism year,” said Perren.

China is the fourth largest contributor to Switzerland’s tourism market, making up 7.5 percent of its foreigner tourists. Switzerland has enhanced its services to attract more Chinese by adding more Chinese staff members to cruises and ski resorts. Nine additional visa application centers were set up in China last year.

New measures regarding domestic tourism accommodation such as preferential tax policies were put forward to raise hoteliers’ enthusiasm.

Data released by the Statistical Office of the European Communities recently shows a 0.5 percent year-on-year drop in the number of nights spent in tourist accommodation establishments in Switzerland, ranking second lowest in Europe.

Tourism is an important part of the Swiss economy. According to data, about 4.5 percent of its citizens work in the industry. It is believed that the flood of refugees, continuous terrorist attacks, and a sharp appreciation of the franc have discouraged European visitors. A former Switzerland Tourism official said one-third of the European market was lost.