Switzerland Tourism ST staged two fashion shows at the Swiss embassy with Swiss designers Gaia Schenk and Raphael Blechschmidt, as well as Saudi Arabian designers, so that the host country was represented too. The first show was for a female audience only, including members of the royal family and Princess Johara bint Talal. The show on the second day was open to both sexes. The inaugural Swiss Fashion Days Riyadh event was therefore not just fashionable but also avant-garde, as fashion shows in the Islamic kingdom of Saudi Arabia are normally held separately for men only or for women only.

280 VVIPs

The aim of the fashion days was to showcase Switzerland as a trend-setting, fashion-conscious destination for luxury travellers. Our partners from Ascona-Locarno, Basel, Gstaad (BE! Tourism), Lake Geneva Region and Lucerne were presented on a large canvas, and some of them also attended personally. They added even more “Swissness” to the event, which took place in the courtyard and garden of the Swiss residence.

Quiz

How much does a GCC guest spend per day in Switzerland?

0 CHF 150 CHF 500 CHF

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150 CHF 500 CHF

According to TMS 2017, a guest from the Gulf States spends an average of CHF 420 per day. The average for all tourists is CHF 165 (excluding travel to and from the destination).

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The event was popular, with 280 VVIP guests attending the two shows. Around 40 journalists and influencers were there too, ensuring that the event was reported widely, for example in Vogue Arabia. Even the Swiss Embassy saw plenty of activity on its Twitter account, with almost 15,000 impressions and around 1,000 reactions. An extensive radio campaign entitled “Travel in Style” and an exclusive flyer from a specialised tour operator with Swiss luxury offers continued the theme.