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„Time Is Precious, Time Is Well Travelled: Voices from the SWISS Luxury Summit„
On the initiative of Switzerland Tourism and hosted by Swiss International Air Lines, the 2nd Swiss Luxury Summit took place on February 19, 2026, at Zurich Airport. The event brought together leading Swiss DMCs, hoteliers, and experience curators. Swiss International Air Lines and Switzerland Tourism are closely aligned in promoting Swiss Silent Luxury.
The SWISS Summit marked the next phase of Switzerland’s strategic luxury initiative. Participants received exclusive insights into SWISS Senses and the A350 future experience. These unveilings set the stage for high-level dialogue on global luxury travellers.
The programme featured leadership insights from Heike Birlenbach, Chief Commercial Officer, SWISS; Annabelle Reichen, Head of Hospitality & Catering Management; Stefan Vasic, Head of Marketing; and Gian-Marco Nacht, Manager Distribution Global Market Application.
The event was opened by moderator Alex Blunschi, together with Simon Bosshart, Head of Markets East at Switzerland Tourism.
Through workshops, immersive product experiences, and collaborative exchange, the summit reinforced a shared vision of Swiss Silent Luxury, where Time Well Travelled was positioned as the ultimate luxury, and defined concrete directions for elevating the Swiss luxury guest experience in the years ahead.
Dr. Matthias Fuchs from EHL provided an academic perspective on luxury and customer experience trends. He offered an insightful look at the evolution of luxury, highlighting the rise of experiential luxury and the ‚ten powers‘ that make experiences feel truly exceptional. He highlighted that traditional luxury and luxury hospitality are merging into a new experiential category driven by meaning.
During workshop sessions, the participants shared strategic insights on the needs of global travellers, thereby reinforcing Switzerland’s forward-looking vision of a One Luxury Destination focused on quality, authenticity, and lasting value.
In Switzerland alone, just 8% of overnight stays already generate 25% of total tourism revenue, underlining the strategic importance of the luxury segment.
SWISS Senses is inspired by luxury hotels, high-end gastronomy, and architecture. It has been developed with an exceptional level of passion, expertise, and genuine love for detail. The concept reflects a deep commitment to refined, guest-centric excellence.
The Summit concluded with Pascal Prinz, Director of the Global Luxury Market, who presented the new vision of Swiss Silent Luxury. Luxury travel is global, resilient, and stable. It grows faster than the overall travel market and remains strong even in times of economic or geopolitical uncertainty, proving that less is more, quality outweighs quantity, and value matters more than volume. Luxury is also where Travel Better becomes reality, contributing positively to year-round tourism, balanced visitor flows, and longer stays, while supporting less crowded regions.