JEDDAH — Last year saw a 20 percent increase in the number of Swiss visas issued to people from the Gulf region compared to the year before, according to a Swiss Tourism official, who is currently visiting the Kingdom on a road show promoting tourism in his country.

Federico Sommaruga, director of Switzerland Tourism, told Arab News that last year 95,000 people from various GCC countries booked into Swiss hotels.

Speaking about the Kingdom, Sommaruga said, “Saudi Arabia is the No. 1 provider of overnights to Switzerland compared to other GCC countries.”

Sommaruga was speaking to the press yesterday at the Mِvenpick hotel. “With a steady year-on-year growth, the GCC has firmly established itself as one of the key players among emerging markets alongside Russia, China and India,” he said.

“Even though the number of overnights spent by GCC residents in Switzerland is 1.7 percent of the total overnights spent by foreign nationals in the country, almost 6.5 percent of the total marketing budget is invested in the GCC,” he said, adding that the tourism board has been given a budget increase to advertise in the GCC.

“This would allow Switzerland Tourism and its partners to run a three-month advertising campaign in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait,” said Sommaruga.

The road show — Switzerland Travel Experience — is covering the cities of Jeddah, Riyadh, Doha and Dubai. It aims to promote Switzerland and Swiss culture.

He added that the Swiss authorities have facilitated the entry of GCC nationals by allowing them to use Schengen visas without the need to have an additional separate visa for Switzerland. “This rule is still valid and GCC nationals can make use of it,” he said, adding, “This special agreement for GCC nationals does not only simplify traveling to Switzerland but also gives travelers the freedom to travel within Europe as well.”