Swiss embassy launches Philippines ‘antenna’ of travel, tourism

On Monday (2022), the Swiss Embassy in the Philippines launched a tourism program that seeks to promote innovation and sustainability through travel and enhance Switzerland’s relationship with the Philippines.

Simon Bosshart, the Head of Switzerland Tourism Markets East, revealed in an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that Manila is one of four cities worldwide where Switzerland plans to establish an “antenna” by the end of 2023. The other three cities include Riyadh (early 2023), Tel Aviv (mid-2023), and Mexico (end of 2023). Bosshart also mentioned that they assess economic data, including the size of the middle class and upper class, travel expenditures, and willingness to travel abroad, when deciding on potential locations for these antennas. The exhibit seeks to showcase Switzerland’s efforts in the field of innovation and sustainability to determine how the Philippines and Switzerland can continue to build the future together.

Simon Bosshart explained that out of the 901 metropolitan areas worldwide, they selected 160 countries based on their population’s capability to travel to Switzerland. Using Zurich’s economic power as a benchmark, the number of countries was further narrowed down to 140. As Switzerland already has a presence in cities like New York, Shanghai, Moscow, and Tokyo, they decided not to open new offices in countries where they are already present. Among the remaining 140 countries, Manila ranked number one on the list of cities where Switzerland has yet to establish a presence. Gaschen also mentioned that Switzerland sees potential for growth in various sectors, such as health, pharmaceutical, transportation, and railway industries. He recommended the winter season from November to January for Filipinos to visit Switzerland, particularly for skiing. While a visa is required, there are no Covid-19 quarantine measures in place, and testing requirements are typically straightforward. Additionally, the Embassy of Switzerland in the Philippines held a three-day exhibit titled “Building the Future Together – A Swiss Innovation Exhibit” at the Grand Hyatt Manila to celebrate 65 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Source: https://bit.ly/3yLuBbm