Katara Hospitality’s Burgenstock Selection, Switzerland’s largest deluxe hotel group, expects a 100% increase in the number of Qatari visitors this year after getting “an extremely good response” last year. The Burgenstock Selection brand comprises three luxury properties: the Royal Savoy Hotel & Spa Lausanne, the Hotel Schweizerhof Bern & The Spa, and the Burgenstock Hotels & Resort Lake Lucerne.
It is learnt that Katara Hospitality invested 1bn Swiss francs in these landmark properties in Switzerland, elevating them to an unparalleled standard of modernity and luxury. “The brand is very much in demand and the variety of hotels we have, we have an extremely good response because the quality of the property is fantastic. It is combined with Swiss hospitality and precision,” Burgenstock Selection managing director Saeid Heidari told Gulf Times.
From 3,000 guests visiting from Qatar (alone) last year, he expects the number to double this summer saying “we are anticipating a lot of Qataris who will visit us and this summer is a long one, a beautiful weather (in Switzerland).”
Due to the Selection’s growing popularity globally, Heidari disclosed that they are also bringing Arabic, Lebanese, and Iranian chefs to prepare a diverse range of food offerings for their guests from various regions. He noted that the hotels have also been receiving several guests from Asia such as Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Japan, which are all important markets for the hotel brand.
“I am an hotelier for nearly 31 years and it (Switzerland) is one of the most beautiful and stunning places I have seen,” he said. Apart from Qatar, Heidari added that are also planning to open offices in different countries such as the United States and India to attract more foreign visitors. About the brand’s trademark, he said each Burgenstock Selection hotel has a rich history, describing it as “a great advantage.”
“One thing which is important is that all these hotels have rich history spanning 100 to 150 years where the brand is world-renowned,” Heidari stressed.
Burgenstock Resort, Switzerland´s largest resort situated 500m above Lake Lucerne, opened in September 2018. It consists of four hotels, 10 restaurants, two spas, as well as its medical centre in the fourth property, the Waldhotel Health & Medical Excellence – Switzerland’s newest place devoted to health and medical well-being. “Our aim is to build with the heritage we are having,” Heidari said, citing that the brand has also hotels in major cities around the world with an array of luxury offerings such as spa and wellness, among others.
“We are in Europe, Switzerland is our most important market, the US, and if you are looking at China and India together they have half of the population of the world, it is not even advisable to ignore these markets,” he added.