Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office (FSO) reported on 29 May 2026 that supplementary accommodation—camp-sites, youth hostels and holiday apartments—generated 18.1 million overnight stays in 2025, up 4.7 percent year-on-year. Foreign clientele was the principal growth driver, with demand jumping almost 10 percent to 6.3 million nights as European travellers sought lower-cost options amid strong franc exchange rates. Commercial holiday homes remained the largest segment, accounting for 7.4 million stays. The Lake Geneva region recorded the highest demand, followed by Eastern Switzerland; both areas benefit from high-speed rail links that make weekend breaks feasible for visitors from France and southern Germany.
![Foreign visitors lift Swiss ‘alternative’ lodging to record 18 million nights]()
For travellers who need to arrange visas or residence permits before an extended Swiss stay, VisaHQ’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/) offers a quick way to check entry requirements for more than 200 nationalities, complete digital applications and access live support—freeing up time to plan that lakeside itinerary.
Campsites saw the steepest rise (+8.2 percent), a trend the FSO attributes to the post-pandemic popularity of ‘van-life’ and flexible working which allows longer road-trips. When combined with traditional hotels, Switzerland hosted a record 62 million overnight stays in 2025. The data confirm anecdotal reports from relocation providers who note that expatriates on short-term assignments increasingly favour serviced apartments over hotels to contain costs. Employers may wish to revisit per-diem allowances: the average length of stay in holiday flats is now 5.9 nights, far longer than a typical business trip. For destination managers, the surge underscores the need to diversify bed capacity ahead of the G7 summit and the 2026/27 winter high season. Cantonal tourism boards are lobbying for streamlined approval of pop-up modular lodging to avoid price spikes that could deter conference organisers. Practical tip: assignees relocating with families during the July–August peak should secure accommodation contracts at least three months in advance; occupancy rates in popular lake regions already exceed 80 percent for summer 2026.
For travellers who need to arrange visas or residence permits before an extended Swiss stay, VisaHQ’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/) offers a quick way to check entry requirements for more than 200 nationalities, complete digital applications and access live support—freeing up time to plan that lakeside itinerary.
Campsites saw the steepest rise (+8.2 percent), a trend the FSO attributes to the post-pandemic popularity of ‘van-life’ and flexible working which allows longer road-trips. When combined with traditional hotels, Switzerland hosted a record 62 million overnight stays in 2025. The data confirm anecdotal reports from relocation providers who note that expatriates on short-term assignments increasingly favour serviced apartments over hotels to contain costs. Employers may wish to revisit per-diem allowances: the average length of stay in holiday flats is now 5.9 nights, far longer than a typical business trip. For destination managers, the surge underscores the need to diversify bed capacity ahead of the G7 summit and the 2026/27 winter high season. Cantonal tourism boards are lobbying for streamlined approval of pop-up modular lodging to avoid price spikes that could deter conference organisers. Practical tip: assignees relocating with families during the July–August peak should secure accommodation contracts at least three months in advance; occupancy rates in popular lake regions already exceed 80 percent for summer 2026.
