Hardly any other dish is associated with as many emotions as fondue. Swiss people know exactly how the cheese speciality should be: nice and creamy, not too thick and not too thin. Preferably, it is enjoyed during a cosy gathering, when friends and family sit together around the caquelon and stir their fork with a piece of bread in it. Together with GastroSuisse, Switzerland Tourism ST developed a new online platform towards November 2022 on MySwitzerland.com: Fondue Experiences Switzerland. Here, a wide variety of eateries from all over the country present the favourite Swiss winter dish – from rustic huts in the mountains to urban pop-up chalets.

For a few years now, more and more cosy fondue parlours have sprung up, even far from the ski slopes. The new offering took up this trend and provided a good overview of things. As of November 2022, the online platform listed around 850 pubs, restaurants and inns throughout Switzerland that featured the cheese speciality on their menu. By the end of the year, ST had recorded 17 000 impressions on MySwitzerland.com/fondue, with the final result taken at the end of the winter season.

Sharing fondue traditions

Walking barefoot through the snow or dancing around the table? Each family and each group has its very own rules about how losing bread in the caquelon, as the fondue pot is known, is “punished”. The fondue platform provided insight into the funny penalties and creative punishments with four short films – and at the same time offered users and cheese fans alike the chance to share their traditions. The campaign was supported throughout the winter on Facebook and Instagram. It took place in two parts: with one part being the focus before Christmas and one in January 2023. By the end of 2022, posts on the social media channels reached a total of 7.7 million impressions.

Lists compiled on the online platform also drew attention to unusual fondue locations and stories, outdoor and luxury offers, successful cheese and wine combinations, vegan variants, or even special restaurants for groups. For this purpose, the establishments answered a few questions about their offering when registering and were then ranked accordingly by ST’s accommodation and gastronomy marketing team based on criteria such as experiences, restaurants and events. In a self-created profile via Guidle, the restaurateurs and providers could enter and set out additional details such as opening hours, photos and descriptions.