Parahotellerie drives overnight stays in Spiez to new record high
Tourism generated 198,000 overnight stays in Spiez in 2025. Overnight stays in non-hotel accommodation rose by 35 per cent to 63,000, while those in hotels fell by 2.5 per cent to 135,000. Spiez Marketing intends to tackle the associated challenges together with its partners.
Tourism in Spiez reached a new record in 2025 with 198,000 overnight stays. However, according to a statement by Spiez Marketing AG (SMAG), this is solely attributable to growth in the non-hotel sector. This sector increased its overnight stays by 35 per cent to 63,000. At the same time, overnight stays in hotels fell by 2.5 per cent to 135,000.
More than half of the overnight stays were attributable to visitors from Switzerland. China followed with a share of 9 per cent, Germany with 7 per cent and the USA with 5 per cent. Visitors from Switzerland accounted for 15 per cent of the non-hotel sector, followed by China with 11 per cent, the USA with 10 per cent and Germany with 9 per cent.
The increase in overnight stays brings with it challenges. Last spring, the municipal council commissioned the local location promoter SMAG to set up a working group. Representatives from politics, the population, the hotel industry and para-hotels, as well as retailers and other tourism professionals, were tasked with identifying these challenges and finding solutions. The resulting 2026 action plan is now to be implemented.
“It is not our goal to chase overnight stay records,” said Stefan Seger, managing director of Spiez Marketing AG, in the press release. The promotion of tourism should not be at the expense of residents. “We are committed to tourism that is as sustainable as possible.”