Swiss discover a love of camping – but at what price?

Since the pandemic, visitor numbers to Swiss campsites have soared: last year Touring Club Suisse (TCS) recorded almost one million overnight stays – 60% more than before Covid. Can nature absorb all these outdoor enthusiasts? “Motorhomes means freedom, and with the pandemic, people realised that they need more of it.” Jérôme, 51, spends every weekend in the great outdoors, with his motorhome and children. Like him, thousands of travellers now choose to camp rather than sleep in a hotel or rented flat. And while the return to nature exploded with the pandemic, the trend had already begun before. “In the 1990s and 2000s there was this trend for all-inclusive holidays,” explains TCS spokesman Massimo Gonnella. “But after the 2008 financial crisis many people could no longer afford this type of holiday. So they came to the campsite, liked it and stayed.” In 2023 the TCS campsites recorded their best year ever, with almost one million overnight stays. However, the number of pitches is ...