Friday 10MAY was a special evening for friends and lovers of Switzerland. A group of executives from tourism and the travel industry, top airline customers and members of the diplomatic corps and media convened in the ultra-chic Design Exchange in downtown Toronto to celebrate all things Swiss – including its flag carrier SWISS, the reincarnation of Swiss Air.
The event was held to celebrate the launch of the carrier’s YYZ-ZRH route (its second in Canada after YUL). “We are here to celebrate this inaugural flight connecting two vibrant cities – and reinforce the bonds between our countries,” said Christina Meaken, Head of Sales, Canada for the Lufthansa Group. “Switzerland is high on the list as one of Europe’s most breathtaking countries, offering skiing in the Alps, pristine landscapes and a stellar rail system.”
The A330-300 aircraft used on the YYZ-ZRH route has 8 First Class seats (which can be configured into beds complete with privacy walls), 45 in Business (which turn into 2M flat beds) and 183 in Economy. Every three months a new Michelin-starred chef is invited to create a selection of quality dishes from their home canton (province) for F and B class pax.
As the guests dined on Swiss-themed delights, images of Canada and Switzerland were projected onto the vast, surrounding walls of the trading floor in the art-deco former Toronto Stock Exchange.
The carrier (code LX), which is part of the LH group and a member of Star Alliance, features 87 Airbus aircraft plus Boeing 777s and carried 16.5 million passengers last year. SWISS flies to 100 destinations from ZRH and GVA. There is no shortage of ways to sell the attractions of Switzerland, as outlined in Yodel, the tourist board’s travel trade sales guide. A handy reference tool, Yodel provides insider info, selling tips and suggestions for how to make the country more accessible and affordable. Myswitzerland.com also offers biweekly webinars about all there is to see and do in the beautiful, clean, efficient and welcoming country. Find out more about SWISS here.
