High Demand for Cruises and Train Journeys
26.02.2026 | from Touring Club Suisse (TCS)
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Image rights: Shutterstock / TCS
Photographer: TCS
26.02.2026, TCS Travel increased the number of group tours and expanded its customer base last year. In addition to high-quality cruises, long-haul travel outside of Europe was particularly popular. This year, too, the high booking numbers indicate an unbroken desire to travel.
The travel enthusiasm of the Swiss remains high. This has been shown by the results of the TCS Travel Barometer as well as the booking numbers from TCS Travel last year. The specialist for small group trips recorded new highs in bookings last year and also notes high demand for the current year.
Group Tours Off the Beaten Track
Particularly in demand was the exciting combination of a cruise and safari in Southern Africa or the cruise around Spitsbergen. Additionally, train journeys through Canada and along the Silk Road attracted great interest. Unusual destinations like Uganda, Belize, the Philippines, or India-Nepal-Bhutan were also very popular among TCS Travel's customers.
Sabrina Trio, Head of TCS Travel, explains the high demand for small group trips with individually crafted routes off the beaten tourist paths: "Our tour guides know the countries very well, and we place great importance on quality, authenticity, and a cohesive overall experience. Our guests appreciate this immensely." The engagement of the tour guides resonates with customers, as evidenced by the numerous clients who regularly book with TCS Travel. Currently, 29% of participants have taken part in more than one group tour - a high number compared to the industry.
The strong growth at TCS Travel is likely to continue this year. The booking numbers are significantly above those of the previous year. In addition to the popular cruises and long-haul trips, TCS Travel also has new offerings this year. These include a cruise in Alaska, a trip to Northern Thailand with Phi Phi Island, as well as cultural highlights like the Carnival in Venice or the Christmas Market in Tallinn.
Press contact:
Marco Wölfli, Media Spokesperson TCS
Tel. 058 827 34 03
marco.woelfli@tcs.ch
Editor's note: Image rights belong to the respective publisher. Image rights: Shutterstock / TCS / Photographer: TCS
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Touring Club Suisse (TCS)
Since its founding in 1896 in Geneva, the Touring Club Switzerland has been serving the Swiss population. It is committed to safety, sustainability, and self-determination in personal mobility, both politically and socially. With over 2,000 employees and 23 regional sections, Switzerland's largest mobility club offers its over 1.6 million members a wide range of services related to mobility, health, and leisure activities.
Every 70 seconds, an assistance service is provided. Annually, 200 patrol officers are on Swiss roads for approximately 361,000 missions, enabling immediate onward travel in more than 80% of cases. The ETI Centre organises about 63,000 assistance services annually, including 3,500 medical evaluations and over 1,300 repatriations. TCS Ambulance is the largest private provider for rescue services and patient transport in Switzerland, with 400 employees, 22 logistic bases, and around 45,000 missions per year. The legal protection offices handle 52,000 cases and provide around 10,000 legal consultations.
Since 1908, the TCS has been committed to more safety in mobility - made possible by membership. It develops educational materials, awareness and prevention campaigns, tests mobility infrastructures, and advises authorities. Each year, TCS distributes about 115,000 fluorescent belts and 90,000 fluorescent vests to children to ensure their mobility is safe. The driving centres host 42,000 participants annually for initial and ongoing training in all vehicle categories.
With 32 sites and around 900,000 overnight stays, TCS is also Switzerland's largest camping provider. The TCS Mobility Academy researches and shapes transformations in transport, such as vertical mobility of drones or shared mobility, for example with the 400 electric cargo bikes 'carvelo' and 43,000 users. TCS is a co-signatory of the Roadmap Electromobility 2025.
Note: The "About Us" text is taken from public sources or from the company profile on HELP.ch.
Source: Touring Club Suisse (TCS), Press release
Original article published on: Hohe Nachfrage nach Kreuzfahrten und Zugreisen