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Q&A: Celine Deplazes, Market Manager UK & Ireland

Email: celine.deplazes@luzern.com           

Phone number: +41 41 227 17 29

What type of client will enjoy Lucerne?

It’s for everyone. Lucerne is a small city surrounded by nature and water. Travellers who love nature and the outdoors will find pleasure in all the different mountains and lake cruises. Those who are looking for culture and history find museums, concert halls and festivals. 

What’s the best way to get to Lucerne from the UK and Ireland?

We Swiss love travelling by train. There are trains from Basel and Zurich, both cities are about one hour by train from Lucerne. The other option would be by plane. Zurich airport is reachable in approximately one hour as well. Geneva, where there is an airport and the TGV stops, has a direct train from/to Lucerne, which takes three hours. 

When is the best time of year to visit Lucerne?

There is no “best time”. I alway say it depends on what your clients want to see and experience. Lucerne is an all-year-round destination. Our high season is from May-September. This is when the city gets very busy, and therefore the hotel prices are at their peak.

My favourite time of the year is autumn, when the leaves are changing their colour and it’s still warm enough to sit outside and enjoy the scenery. And I love Christmas. We get some snow in the city but not too much, the mountains are covered in snow and winter activities can be experienced.

I can highly recommend coming to Lucerne between October-March. All the restaurants, museums, shops and hotels are open. The mountain railways and lake cruises are operating. And 90% of the experiences that can be experienced during the summer months can also be discovered over the colder month of the year. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT WINTER IN LUCERNE

Are there any hot hotels agents should have on their radar?

In the city we have a range of hotels, from simple three-star to luxurious five-star properties. A great house and great value for money is the Art Deco Hotel Montana. It’s a four-star hotel overlooking the city, the lake and the mountains. Make sure to check out their Beach Bar during summer.

In recent years, the historic Palace Hotel opened after renovation and is now a Mandarin Oriental. In Engelberg, only a 40-minute train ride from Lucerne, you can find the Kempinski Palace. It is the only five-star hotel in the valley.  

For people with a lower budget or also bigger groups I can recommend the Holiday Inn Express in Kriens, reachable by train or bus within 10 minutes from the city centre. 
 

(credit: Switzerland Tourism/Ricardo Perret)

Which events or festivals in Lucerne can agents use as a selling point?

Many in fact. Lucerne is a festival city. A highlight – in the literal sense of the word – is the annual Lilu Light Festival Lucerne, which takes place in January every year. The festival is free of charge. There are about 20 light installations from international artists at display in the old town area and around the lake side. There is also a 25-minute light show inside Jesuit Church, for which a ticket is needed.

Around the year we are hosting multiple music festivals, because Lucerne is Switzerland’s capital of music. Luzern Live is a fairly new festival and happened in July for the third time. During 10 days there are multiple stages, bars and food stalls around the bay of Lucerne. Most of the concerts are for free and the festival attracts many locals.

Lucerne Festival is another event, which takes place in summer. The classic music festival attracts an international audience and orchestras from around the world enchant the audience over a month with the Concert and Convention Center (KKL Luzern). 

What are your top tips for agents selling holidays to Lucerne?

Lucerne is in the heart of Switzerland. It is very easy to reach the city from any other destination in Switzerland or Europe. Therefore Lucerne is a great hub. Your guests can easily spend a week in Lucerne and explore the Lake Lucerne Region as well as doing day trips to city such as Zurich (one-hour away), Basel (also one-hour away), Lugano (two hours) or Interlaken (two hours).  

Is there anything else agents should know about when selling Lucerne?

Lucerne itself is a walkable city. And even if your clients are not staying in the city centre but somewhere in the outskirts, it is easy to get to the centre by public transportation. From the train station to the old town it’s only a five-minute walk.