Price should already be fixed Tourists will soon have to pay admission in Zermatt
Zermatt VS is discussing the idea of an incentive tax for day visitors. The charge is intended to counteract mass tourism and boost hotel overnight stays.
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- The idea of an entrance fee for day tourists is currently circulating in Zermatt.
- Anyone who wants to travel to the Valais mountain village and not stay overnight will have to pay 12 francs in future.
- The discussion was triggered by the dissatisfaction of locals with the large number of guests.
Overtourism is a buzzword that is also being used more and more frequently in Switzerland. Recently, a vacation home owner was annoyed that Stoos was being overrun. Hotspots abroad such as Venice already charge admission to day visitors. Such a fee is apparently also an issue in Zermatt, as reported by SRF.
According to the report, members of the municipal and tourism authorities met at a workshop last spring. The topic: a tax for day tourists, i.e. guests who are not staying in a hotel or vacation apartment. The fee is intended to motivate visitors to stay longer.
The price should also already be fixed: anyone who wants to take a day trip to Zermatt should pay 12 francs. This corresponds to the visitor's tax for guests staying in the Valais village for three days. Payment will be made via an app.
Tradespeople can travel for free
The money is to flow into the municipality's sustainability fund - hence the planned name for the fee: "Green Tag" (green label). According to SRF, this is clear from the workshop documents. Only craftsmen and suppliers as well as people who visit someone on site are allowed into Zermatt free of charge.
The discussion was triggered by dissatisfaction among locals about the large number of guests. Nothing has been decided yet. According to the Zermatt Tourism spokesperson, measures are always being examined. According to research by SRF, the imposition of such a fee is currently being legally clarified.
