Zug, 22.05.2019

Looking to ensure the canton attracts more tourists - 29-year-old Patrizia Hofstetter

 

Last year was not an easy one for the Zug Tourist Board (ZT), what with reduced income and the previous managing director throwing in the towel after only seven months in the job. His task had been to promote Zug and ensure it became “a classical pre-alpine tourist destination by 2025” but it turned out this was not feasible, not least when a number of private backers pulled out.

 

 

It befell Patrizia Hofstetter to take over as managing director, a job she has been doing since 1 March, prior to which she was head of front office there. Born in the canton of Graubünden, the 29-year-old brings with her a bachelor’s degree in tourism from the University of Applied Sciences in Chur, the canton’s capital.

 

As a result of cuts amounting to CHF 80,000 from the canton of Zug, much re-structuring at the board has been necessary, though fortunately no-one has had to be made redundant. Indeed, it very became evident at the beginning of this year that ZT would have to tighten its belt, as its chairman, Heini Schmid, mentioned.

 

Last Monday, the ZT presented its figures for the year 2018; these showed that the number of overnight stays had decreased to 30,2196, a fall in 0.9 per cent on 2017. Furthermore, income from various events was much less than expected. However, the number of guided tours of the city had increased from 301 to 329 and the number of followers on Instagram had gone up from 800 to 2,300, not to mention the increased number of people who had clicked on to the website, up from 330,164 to 362,335.

 

Hofstetter mentioned how she was planning on intensifying the relationship the board enjoys with local hotels and pointed out that, at 37.6 per cent, Swiss people represented the largest proportion of those staying overnight. At present, a new hotel project is being discussed, too. Not that one is necessary at weekends, but it is during the week.

 

As Stephan Santschi, the journalist who wrote this article, mentioned, the board is continuing to strive to lure more visitors from abroad, and, to this end, is cooperating with the National Tourist Board and that of Zurich, for example in combined presence at fairs in Germany. China, too, is an interesting source of visitors, the number of nationals from there increasing by 25 per cent last year.

 

Fortunately, the triennial National Swiss Wrestling and Alpine Festival is taking place in the canton this August, with no fewer than 300,000 visitors expected.  Readers may have noticed the event is being increasingly mentioned in national and local media. “In fact at present it is possible to win a few free tickets through us,” said Hofstetter. It is hoped that, having visited Zug, many will want to return to enjoy all it has to offer, for example a dip in the lake, a stroll round the Old Town with its delightful streets and shops. “Then there are detective trails for the whole family to enjoy, not forgetting the Höllgrotten caves, a visit to a brewery or distillery, not to mention a trip up to the Aegeri Valley or the Zugerberg,” she said.

 

With her evident enthusiasm in her new role, it is hoped she will stay in it longer than her predecessor.