New price index shows You now have to pay even more for vacations and leisure activities

Winter sports, vacation apartments and mountain railroads: The cost of leisure activities in Switzerland rose again in 2024. Tourists will have to dig deeper into their wallets, especially in mountain regions.

Anyone planning leisure activities in Switzerland will have to dig deeper into their pockets: According to the Comparis leisure price index, the cost of leisure activities rose by 0.9% in 2024 compared to the previous year. Winter vacations are particularly affected, while air travel has temporarily become cheaper.

Holidaymakers paid an average of 4.5% more for vacation apartments, a popular choice in the parahotel industry, in December 2024 than in the previous year. Compared to 2019, prices even rose by 17.7%.

According to Comparis expert Adi Kolecic, the reasons for this include higher operating costs and the market dominance of platforms such as Airbnb. These often charge high agency fees, which are passed on to the guests.

Mountain railroads and ski lifts have also increased significantly: with an increase of 3.3 percent compared to the same month last year and 10 percent compared to 2019, they are placing an additional burden on winter sports enthusiasts. "Dynamic pricing systems, which vary tariffs depending on demand and weather conditions, drive up costs at peak times in particular," explains Kolecic.

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Flying is getting cheaper, but remains expensive

On the other hand, there was a ray of hope when it came to air fares: In December 2024, the cost of flight tickets was 4.6 percent below the previous year's level. However, this relief is short-lived, as prices have risen by a whopping 33.6% compared to 2019.

"After the pandemic, costs for airlines rose significantly and demand exceeded supply in 2023," explains Kolecic. It was not until 2024 that capacity bottlenecks were resolved, which temporarily pushed prices down.

Couples aged 65 and over were particularly affected by the rise in leisure costs: They recorded an increase in prices of 1.5 percent compared to the previous year. Families with children, on the other hand, felt the price increase the least, with an inflation rate of just 0.7 percent.

Despite rising costs, Switzerland remains an attractive destination for winter vacationers. According to Kolecic, inflation is significantly higher in foreign ski resorts, which means that Switzerland remains comparatively cheap. In addition, the number of US guests who have to pay significantly higher prices in their home country is increasing.