UK Tour Operator Visits & Swisstainable Travel

Building strong relationships with our UK tour operator partners remains one of the most important parts of what we do at Swiss Tailor Made. Whenever possible, those relationships are built face to face, and every business journey we make reflects our commitment to the Swisstainable programme.

Travelling by public transport is one of the ways we maintain our Swisstainable Committed status. It’s a natural choice here in Switzerland, where trains, buses, boats and cableways are fully integrated into one of the world’s best public transport networks. We extend the same commitment when visiting our partners in the UK, choosing rail travel wherever practical.

My visit to the UK in June reminded me why those choices matter more than ever.

Face-to-face meetings still matter

I always look forward to visiting the UK, whether for business or pleasure, but summer visits are particularly enjoyable. London is a fantastic place to spend a few days meeting existing Tour Operator partners, introducing new products and discussing future opportunities for collaboration on their Switzerland programmes.

Since the pandemic, online meetings have become part of everyday business life and they undoubtedly have their place. They make it easier to stay connected throughout the year, especially when time is limited.

However, our industry has always been built on relationships. Sitting down with a tour operator, talking through new ideas and hearing first-hand what their clients are looking for is always my preferred option, and something that simply can’t be replicated on a screen.

James Wilson at a meeting with a UK Tour Operator — Switzerland training meeting with James Wilson

Travelling by public transport as part of Swisstainable

Our commitment to Swisstainable doesn’t stop at the Swiss border.

Every business journey we make within Switzerland is by public transport, with no exception, and we extend that philosophy to our visits in the UK whenever possible. Although the UK’s rail network has a reputation for being less reliable than Switzerland’s, my experience over many years has generally been a positive one. Most of the tour operators we visit are based outside London, involving longer rail journeys across the country, and thankfully delays have usually been few and far between.

Choosing public transport isn’t just about reducing our environmental impact, it also reflects the values that many of our partners and their customers increasingly share when planning travel to Switzerland.

Aerial view of railway lines in London, UK — London’s rail network

When extreme weather affects travel

My visit this June was different.

Shortly after arriving at Heathrow, I headed for the Elizabeth Line into central London, only to discover that services had been suspended because of the extreme heat. Eventually trains resumed at reduced speed, allowing me to reach my hotel later that afternoon.

Before long, I received a call from one of the tour operators I was due to visit the following day. Rail disruption in their part of the country had become so severe that travelling there was no longer practical, and we agreed to switch to a Teams meeting instead.

The meeting itself was productive, but it also highlighted something that would have been difficult to imagine in the UK not so many years ago. Heatwaves are no longer unusual, and the disruption they cause is becoming more common.

A reminder of why sustainability matters

Returning home to Wengen a few days later, I found myself looking up at the glacier on the face of the Jungfrau.

Having lived here for the past ten years, I’ve watched it retreat a little more each year. It’s impossible not to notice the difference, and it’s difficult not to wonder what it will look like in another decade.

But the melting of the glaciers is linked to what I experienced in London. It reinforced why sustainability can’t simply be something we talk about. It has to influence the choices we make every day, from the way we travel to the partners we work with.

But the melting of the glaciers is linked to what I experienced in London. It was a reminder that the effects of climate change aren’t confined to the mountains, and that the choices we make today really do matter.

At Swiss Tailor Made, we’re proud to support the Swisstainable programme and help our UK Tour Operator partners create more sustainable journeys throughout Switzerland. It’s a long-term commitment, and one we believe will become increasingly important for the future of travel.

If you’d like to learn more about our partner hotels, scenic rail operators and cultural experiences, or discuss how we can support your Switzerland programme, get in touch. We’d be delighted to hear from you.