In addition to the Swisstainable programme and its communications, the strategy for sustainable tourism also includes extending the length of stay among guests and ensuring deeper cultural immersion. The measures Switzerland Tourism (ST) uses to promote a longer stay were shown, for example, in the collaboration with three content creators in the Korean market.

Young couple Sumin and Daihoon (Seosum) and photographer Jongbeom Lee (picn2k) spent almost three weeks of their summer holidays in the city of Zurich. The three Korean creators were able to extend their holidays thanks to location-independent working, also known as a workation. A trend that has been on the rise ever since the pandemic.

The three content creators showed just how much the city on the Limmat has to offer on Instagram. “Instagram is the platform that is most frequently used by 10 to 30-year-olds, at a rate of almost 90%, followed by Facebook, at almost 50%, and Korean social media app Naver Band, at 46.5%,” says ST Market Manager for Korea Jean Kim.

Sharing in the excitement with the chess players in the park

With their stories, the three content creators showed how much fun it is to watch a film at the open-air cinema, go bargain hunting at the Bürkliplatz flea market, share in the excitement with the chess players in the park or relax on the lawn in front of the Museum Rietberg.

The young couple proved that you can relax in the natural surroundings of Swiss cities by swimming in the Limmat, barbecuing by the lake, enjoying the sunset on the grassy Chinawiese next to Lake Zurich, visiting the botanical garden and going on a bike tour through lush meadows (stories by Seosum and picn2k).

“South Korean travellers, especially those under the age of 35, rely heavily on social media platforms for travel inspiration, recommendations and information,” Kim explains. “Sumin, Daihoon and Jongbeom Lee may have a relatively small reach compared with other creators, with a combined total of around 400,000 followers, but their community corresponds exactly to the target group we want to address. These are young individual travellers who want to travel more consciously and with a greater level of appreciation and to delve deeper into Switzerland, and who are open to exciting encounters with the locals.”