Sebi & Paul
Winter TV-spot: http://ow.ly/fduEg
Winter contest: http://wintersleep.myswitzerland.com/

BERN REGION

Bern – UNESCO World Heritage to turn 30 in 2013!
Bern, the capital of Switzerland, has many charms: Its quaint old town is framed by the Aare River and offers spectacular views of the Alps. Thanks to its well-preserved medieval townscape, the Old Town of Bern was entered onto UNESCO’s listing of World Heritage Sites in 1983. In 2013 the big 30iest anniversary is coming up – Bern is celebrating this milestone birthday!
More: www.bern.com/en/city-of-bern/unesco-main

Emmental – A Clash of the Alpine Titans
Every three years probably the largest sporting festival in Switzerland and one that is certainly steeped in tradition, takes place – the Federal Wrestling and Alpine Festival. In 2013 it is being held in Burgdorf, a town in the Emme valley in the heart of the region where the Emmentaler cheese was born. Some 250,000 spectators are expected to watch the festival, which is held only once every three years and will also see the crowning of the country’s only monarch – the King of Swiss Wrestling.
More: www.emmental.ch/en/index.cfm

Gstaad – Hotel Alpina Gstaad
Opening in December 2012, the Alpina Gstaad is the first luxury hotel to be built in Gstaad in 100 years. Bordered by an acre and a half of gardens, The Alpina Gstaad has three restaurants featuring traditional Swiss, international and Asian cuisines, a bar and lounge, a wine tasting room, a private cinema, a cigar room, a ballroom and several boardrooms. The 21,500-square-foot spa offers holistic treatments and rejuvenation programs and includes a hammam, a fitness center and an 82-foot lap pool. A large outdoor swimming pool is set in the gardens.
More: www.thealpinagstaad.ch

SuperPass: New Ski pass for Alps of the Lake Geneva Region/Gstaad
For the upcoming winter season, the Alps of the Lake Geneva Region and Gstaad Mountain Rides have launched the SuperPass. Valid in 17 different ski resorts as Gstaad or Glacier 3000, the SuperPass covers more than 260 miles of slopes and 116 ski lifts. The SuperPass is available as a multi-day pass (4 to 15 days) and can be purchased from November 2012 to May 2013.
More: http://bit.ly/SuperPass

GRAUBUNDEN REGION

Hotel Ski Pass included
As of the coming winter season, over 100 hotels of all price categories in Engadin St. Moritz have an new irresistible and unique deal for their guest: Thanks to the «Hotel Ski Pass included» package they do not only get to enjoy top accommodation, but also 220 miles of perfectly groomed pistes, three snow parks, 57 mountain transport facilities, 34 mountain restaurants, with inspiring sun terraces, and an abundance of magnificent, unspoilt scenery. This new package is valid from October 20th till May 20th, 2013.
More: www.engadin.stmoritz.ch/winter/en/skipass-inclusive/

Laax – New 6-seater ski lift designed by Porsche
Porsche, a company recognized as a leading automobile manufacturer, will unveil this December a new ski lift with solar-powered heating in the resort of Laax. The six-seater lift combines Porsche’s futuristic design with increased speed and solar-powered heating, making it one of the world’s first ‘green’ ski lifts. Heated seats and weather protection covers will provide a comfortable and dry ride.
More: www.weissearena.ch/en/innovation/aktuelle-projekte/
www.weissearena.ch/en/innovation/aktuelle-projekte/bautagebuch/

Davos – New Visionary Hotel to be opened in 2013
The top Italian architect Matteo Thun has designed the new luxury 5-star hotel InterContinental «Stilli-Park» close to Davos lake, which will open in autumn 2013. The hotel is encased in a bronze-toned metal shell. The resort is ideally located in the middle of a picturesque mountain landscape offering a view over the Lake Davos and the city itself as well as over the surrounding mountain panorama and the ski slopes.
More: www.davos.ch/en.html?cHash=ca2848e2a407f611c503915878a0798f

Arosa – Ski School for Kids included
With its pleasant and successful snow sports schools, Arosa is the leader of Switzerland in children ski schools. Therefore the ski resort offers the perfect conditions to train the offspring. During the winter season 2012/2013 all group and ski and snowboard classes are free of charges for guests born in and after 1995. This offer is valid if you stay two or more nights in Arosa and for the snow sports schools of ABC and SSSA (Swiss Ski and Snowboard School Arosa).
More: www.arosa.ch/sites/accommodation/arosa_invites_to_ski.html

Federal Yodeling Festival in Davos 2014
From July 3, 2014 to July 6, 2014, Davos in the Grisons canton will be center for all the fans of yodel, alphorns and Switzerland’s finest folklore music. The festival attracts more than 200’000 visitors and is the climax of many small local yodeling festivals. The urban infrastructure of Davos embedded in the stunning alpine surrounding is the perfect place for this traditional Swiss folk festival.

New Tolkien Museum to open in Switzerland 2013
Located within Switzerland’s Jenins village, a new museum will be dedicated to J. R. R. Tolkien and is slated to open its doors in 2013. The picturesque village of Jenins in the Grisons canton, with a mountain backdrop evocative of Rivendell, will present the Greisinger Middle Earth Collection, the largest collection of Middle Earth paintings, collectibles, and Tolkien books in the world. The new museum is complete with gardens, a hobbit house, and theater.
More:
www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/1019_Tolkien_Middle-earth_Museum_Switzerland.php

JUNGFRAU REGION

Interlaken – Ski all year round
Switzerland has its first indoor skiing facility. In the «JungfrauPark» in Interlaken, Snow sport fans can indulge in their sporting passion all the year round, efficiently improve their skiing style or quite simply keep themselves fit in a fun way.
More: www.swissindoorskiing.ch./en/index.html

LAKE LUCERNE REGION

Vitznau – New area for Park Hotel
In the heart of Switzerland, at the foot of Mount Rigi and on the shores of Lake Lucerne, the Park Hotel Vitznau is said to be one of Europe’s most beautiful places to stay. In spring 2012 a new era is about to begin for the well-known resort. Soon, the Park Hotel Vitznau offers guests a unique combination of a suite hotel, residence, medical center and research facility, where personal relaxation and recreation are the main priorities.
More: www.parkhotel-vitznau.ch/en/

Château Gütsch in Lucerne
In the coming years, the Château Gütsch – now a gourmet mecca – will be converted into a luxury boutique hotel. The existing 31 rooms will to be reduced to 20 and designed especially generous. In a new modern buildings additional 40 rooms and suites, a spa and banquet facilities will be built. Planned Opening: 2013.
More: www.chateau-guetsch.ch/

The «Einsiedler Welttheater» 2013
The medieval mysterious plays, «The Great World Theatre” by the Spanish writer Calderón de la Barca was for the first time performed in 1924 on the abbey square by the population of Einsiedeln. Since then, the play has been staged every five years. The next «Welttheater» will take place in 2013. The latest plays were modernized versions now titled «The Einsiedler Welttheater» (Einsiedeln world theatre) by the renowned Swiss writer Thomas Hürlimann. The premiere takes place on June 21, 2013 and the last performance will be on September 7, 2013.
More: www.visit-einsiedeln.ch/kultur/en/world-theater.html

TICINO REGION

Splash e Spa Tamaro – Rain or Shine
Splash e Spa Tamaro, an innovative new attraction, unique of its kind, is the first Waterpark covering more than 10,000m2 dedicated to leisure and well-being, offering aquatic leisure activities together with Spa and Wellness treatments – all inside a single complex. Families, adults and children can access a huge range of attractions satisfying their every desire. Sun, rain or snow, Splash e Spa Tamaro will always be open to offer the very best in water leisure pursuits and well-being.
More: www.ticino.ch/en/commons/details/SPLASH-E-SPA-TAMARO/98475.html

Melide – Switzerland in Small Format all Year
The Swiss Miniature in Melide, which was opened in 1959, is the only miniature park in Switzerland. The detailed and authentic models include well-known sites such as the Heidi Village in Maienfeld, the castles of Burgdorf and Chillon, the Federal Parliament in Bern. Eighteen model trains travel between the buildings on approximately 2.5 miles of tracks. There are also operating rack railways, cable cars, suspension railways and ships. As of this winter, it is open to visitors all year round and not only in summer.
More: www.swissminiatur.ch/?fuseaction=m3.19&lan=en

Lugano – Well-Aging at the Collina d’Oro Resort
The Collina d’Oro opened in July 2012. This wellness resort is a complex of 44 rooms and suites (plus residential apartments with hotel services), rebuilt in a traditional-meets-contemporary style on the site of a the former circa-1913 Deutsches Haus (a convalescent home), which sits on a hill overlooking Lake Lugano. The ambience is timeless and the raison d’être is wellness – from the anti-aging-focused spa to the healthy yet refined Mediterranean cuisine in its restaurant.
More: www.resortcollinadoro.com/it/13/resort.aspx

VALAIS REGION

«Maya Guesthouse» in Nax
The newly opened «Maya Guesthouse» – located in the heart of the traditional village of Nax, is more than a hotel. It is a true commitment to sustainable tourism. The «Maya Guesthouse» is the first accommodation in Switzerland entirely built with straw bales. All materials used are natural such as wood, stone, straw, clay and glass. The interior is hand made with natural materials such as wood, stone and glass. Each room has a toilet/ shower private, separate entrance and a terrace with views of the Bernese Alps. The guesthouse recovers the excess heat from our wood stove to heat our water in winter and use solar energy in the summer. At our dinner table, you will discover the particular richness of our local products.
More: www.maya-guesthouse.ch/uk/index.php

Zermatt – New super-steep track for Ski
The new No. 59 track takes skiers into a world of superlatives: A 65 percent gradient at the steepest point, a mind-blowing ride on skis, right beneath the Matterhorn. Skiers braving this black track on the Italian side of Cervinia will have to tackle 800 height feet over a distance of just over 2500 feet. Take a deep breath and enjoy making wide curves on the south flank of the Matterhorn! With this new track, Zermatt once again shows that the best ski region in the Alps lies at the foot of the Matterhorn – so says the ADAC SkiGuide 2012 for the third time in succession!
More: www.matterhornparadise.ch/en

The Matterhorn Rocks – Zermatt Unplugged
Zermatt Unplugged is a unique and charming music festival of its own kind, where you can get really close to the stars. Within only a few years, the festival has established itself as a regular feature of the enjoyable period of spring skiing. Musicians and bands such as Alanis Morissette, Amy MacDonald, Billy Idol, Lionel Richie or Reamonn have been inspired by the Unplugged idea, and have already performed on the marquee and club stages of the festival. The sixth edition will take place from the April 9th to 13th 2013.
More: www.zermatt-unplugged.ch/home_80.html

Cordée des Alpes, Verbier
Verbier’s newest gem, «La Cordée des Alpes», opens in December. A luxurious bespoke four-star plus hotel and member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, it promises you a perfect stay. Designed with both international and local architects, inspired by the Swiss history of alpine hospitality and using the finest materials and finishing, La Cordée’s design reflects the Alpine environment and human experience, which make Verbier so unique. An exceptional environment dedicated to your service and offering the finest facilities such as our gastronomic restaurant and bar, swimming pool, spa and gym. Warm colors, impeccable finish, unobtrusive service all come together to create a relaxing retreat that will make guests feel… at home.
More: www.hotelcordee.com

ZURICH REGION

Swiss Casino Zurich opens soon
A casino for Zürich – after a long period of waiting, the time has come at last. The Swiss Federal Council has granted a category A concession to the Swiss Casinos Group to operate a Grand Casino in House Ober in Zürich. As a result, Zürich is set to boast a further attraction for the 1,5 million residents of the conurbation, the 16 million day guests and the more than 4,5 million tourists. Zürich Casino is designed to offer entertainment of the highest order. The opening is planned for the end of 2012.
More: www.swisscasinos.ch

Hotel Kameha Grand Zürich Glattpark
The Kameha Grand Zürich Glattpark will open in 2014. With 245 rooms, suites, an events hall for up to 1,500 people and a conference area with space for 10 to 200 participants, the Kameha Grand Zürich is focused primarily on business travelers. A spa with a sauna, fitness area and rooftop terrace measuring over 10,000 square feet, two bars, sushi, cigar and shisha lounges and a restaurant will also appeal to guests who are looking for relaxation and a lifestyle experience. The interior of the hotel is very impressive. The Kameha Grand Zürich is in the running for inclusion in the «Leading Hotels of the World» list. Construction began in June 2012.

25hours Hotel in Zurich
A dynamic hotel product belongs in the dynamic part of town. On November 1st 2012 the first Swiss 25hours Hotel opens in the new Hard Turn Park Areal, which puts its 120 rooms in pulsing Zurich West, directly neighboring the new Zurich University of the Arts. And thanks to the new Zurich tram line in Zurich West, we’ll be perfectly connected to the hotspots of the city.
More: www.25hours-hotels.com/zuerich/?lang=en

Kunsthaus Zürich – «Chagall: Modern Master»
The exhibition featuring around 100 works will take place from February 8 to May 12, 2013 in the Kunsthaus Zürich. Marc Chagall (1887–1985) is one of the best-known and most popular artists of the 20th century. His paintings depicting rural life in Russia, his floating figures, and his flying cows and roosters are world famous. And yet Chagall was one of the least understood artists of his generation. He was considered a free spirit and an intuitive genius. The figures in his works represent the landscape and culture of his native city, Vitebsk, in Russia (now Belarus), and his pictures are permeated by Hasidic influences.
More: www.kunsthaus.ch

European Athletics Championship August 12 to 17, 2014
The European Athletics Championships are coming to Zurich. Around 1400 athletes from 50 countries will be hunting for medals in 47 disciplines. 250’000 fans are expected to attend the competitions at the legendary Letzigrund Stadium. For six days, the city itself will be under the spell of the athletics festival, full of action, suspense, and emotion.
More: www.zuerich2014.ch/en/group-1/home-zuerich2014

AIRPORT NEWS

The Circle, Zürich Airport
«The Circle» combines the ambience of a small town with the synergies of a large city directly at Zurich Airport. Top-end ranges and Swiss quality values meet urbane visitors in a carefully considered infrastructure. The largest Swiss construction project covering around 600,000 square feet of floor area provides space for seven different modules: hotels, headquarters & offices, health & beauty, education & knowledge, culture & events, brands & dialogue, counsel & services. The groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled to take place next year; construction of the project is scheduled for completion in 2017.
More: www.thecircle.ch

Zürich Airport
As of January 1, 2013 Zürich Airport will offer free Wi-Fi for the first 60 minutes!
More: www.zurich-airport.com/

FLYING NEWS

SWISS adds flight on MIA-ZRH Route
Swiss International Air Lines is adding another flight to its current MIA-ZRH route this fall offering passengers more choices to Switzerland and beyond. Starting November 29, 2012 the new flight will offer service to Zurich an additional four times a week beyond the current daily schedule. An Airbus 330-300 will service the route complete with First, Business and Economy classes of service. The new flight will operate until May 5th, 2013.
More: www.swiss.com

CONTACT FOR MORE INFORMATION

East Coast
Michaela Ruoss, Media Coordinator North America
608 5th Avenue, Suite 202, New York, NY 10020
phone: +1 212-757-5944 x 235
email: michaela.ruoss@switzerland.com

West Coast
Maja Gartmann, Media Coordinator North America
501 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 607, Santa Monica, CA 90401
phone: +1 310-260-2421
email: maja.gartmann@switzerland.com