THE tourism sector of Switzerland has found a new ally in tennis superstar Roger Federer.
In a release last week, the Swiss national tourism board, Switzerland Tourism (ST) shared that the 20-time Grand Slam winner has come on board to become the official brand ambassador for the destination of Switzerland.
The development comes at a time as Switzerland weaves through the blow to tourism by the health pandemic, which it considers as “the biggest tourism crisis since the Second World War.”
Officials at ST said that the involvement of Mr. Federer will go a long way in their push, seeing the tennis superstar as a good representation of the country after years of carrying the Swiss Flag in his legendary career.
“This is a perfect match, because Switzerland and its unblemished nature have clearly contributed to Roger’s unprecedented career,” explained ST Chief Executive Officer Martin Nydegger.
It is something that Mr. Federer agreed with, saying, “I have always felt, whenever I step on the court, I am representing Switzerland. Whenever it says my name, there is a Swiss flag next to it. I have been very proud to do that for the first 22 years I have been on tour, and it will always be like that. To join forces with ST now is a logical step for me.”
The partnership between ST and Mr. Federer is built around “attracting guests to visit Switzerland with its energizing nature,” and will see the latter be involved in promoting Switzerland globally.
For the month of April, communication activities will focus on European cities followed by the United States and Asia-Pacific.
A series of visuals and short clips will showcase Mr. Federer being energized by Swiss nature.
On MySwitzerland.com, meanwhile, guests will be able to discover Switzerland through the tennis star’s eyes.
“I have been all over the world. My favorite place has always remained Switzerland. It’s the country I miss the most, when I’m travelling,” said Mr. Federer.
In a note last year, German market and consumer date company Statista said travel restrictions and economic shutdowns resulted in falling revenue for travel accommodation across Switzerland in 2020, something the country hopes to stem and address moving forward.
Mr. Federer said he is committed to the partnership and looking forward to doing his part.
As part of the partnership, ST is also supporting the Roger Federer Foundation, which supports disadvantaged children in Switzerland. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo
