Swiss hotels reported a total of 43.9 million overnight stays in 2025, eclipsing the previous record set in 2024. In particular, there was a sharp increase in the number of foreign guests, most of whom came from Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom and France. The cantons with the highest number of overnight stays were Zurich, Berne, Grisons and Valais. (WS)
Swiss foreign trade grew in 2025 – despite US tariffs. Exports rose by 1.4 per cent to a record 287 billion francs. Imports also increased by 4.5 per cent to 232.7 billion francs, the second-highest figure ever recorded. The main drivers were pharmaceutical and chemical products, which account for over half of all exports. (WS)
Residents of Alpine village Brienz/Brinzauls in the Albula Valley (canton of Grisons) can finally return to their homes after 62 weeks. The evacuation order effectively exiling them from their own village since November 2024 has been lifted. This is after monitoring showed that Brienz/Brinzauls was no longer in acute danger. “Swiss Review” reported on the village’s plight in edition 5/2023: Swiss Alps less than rock-solid (WS)
The Federal Council wants to set up a dedicated fund to help strengthen Swiss security, recognising that the defence ministry needs to bolster air defences and improve counter-drone and other electronic warfare systems. To generate this additional funding, it proposes raising VAT by 0.8 per cent over a period of ten years, starting in 2028. The constitutional amendment needed to effect this increase is due to be put to voters in 2027. (WS)
Switzerland celebrated a historic medal haul at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, its athletes putting in their best-ever performance at a Winter Games with a total of 23 medals: six golds, nine silvers and eight bronzes. The Swiss finished eighth in the medal table, ahead of Austria and just behind Sweden. (WS)
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