Perhaps they brought the flurries: Just as Swiss tourism representatives sought to showcase the alpine country’s warm-weather charms — from hiking to biking across verdant meadows, to sunbathing by Lake Geneva — snow began to fall in Atlanta.
During a Swiss tourism showcase for media outlets and creators Jan. 21, four Swiss regions (plus Liechtenstein, a separate country one rep called “not exactly Swiss”) highlighted their respective attractions, all reachable by convenient trains, trams, and the steepest cable cars in the world.
Snow-capped peaks of course had their moment, but the visiting reps sought mainly to woo Atlantans for the summer season now that Delta Air Lines has relaunched nonsto flights four times a week to Zurich.
The Zurich flight, begun last May, made promoting the country in Atlanta more relevant, said Fabio Zurmühle, who heads up media relations in North America for the agency.
That’s partially because Americans tend to see Switzerland as part of a larger constellation of countries they want to visit on a European vacation — and not as a standalone destination.
Switzerland is a land of four official languages — German, French, Italian and Romansh — and various regions of the mountainous, landlocked country known globally for its geopolitical neutrality take on some of the character of the countries they border.
In the western canton of Vaud, just across Lake Geneva from France, a laid-back lifestyle blends with natural beauty and a sense of storied craftsmanship. Guests can wander the medieval marine castle of Chateau de Chillon or visit the Olympic museum in Lausanne, also an important city in the history of the Protestant Reformation. Montreux offers a world-famous jazz festival. Getting outside the cities, visitors can enjoy the UNESCO-recognized terraced vineyards of Lavaux; the region boasts some of the highest concentrations of Michelin-starred chefs per capita in the world.
A bit further southwest, in Geneva, a city in golden stone emerges, now a bulwark of international diplomacy playing host to more than 50 multilateral organizations including outposts of the United Nations, the World Trade Organization and the International Red Cross.
Besides the emblematic jet d’eau (a geyser-like fountain whose initial function was to release water pressure from pipes used to fuel the city’s factories), guests can experience museums dedicated to the practice of timekeeping or partake in chocolate tours.
On the opposite side of the e of the country sits the Davos Klosters region. Davos, a small village of just 10,000 people, has become a shorthand for the World Economic Forum bringing luminaries in finance, business and government to the mountain enclave each January.
But it’s also an early pioneer of winter sports and relaxation, said tourism booster Andreas Stoffel, as wealthy Brits brought the concept in the 19th century and built out solaria to treat those dealing with tuberculosis.
“People just had to sit outside, drink wine and enjoy the sun and were eating. In the end, this was not a very successful treatment. But finally, they had some good days,” said Mr. Stoffel, deputy head of marketing at Destination Davos Klosters.
As relatives visited, the region gained notoriety as a winter retreat, and in 1934, the world’s first ski lift opened in Davos.
Mr. Stoffel also introduced the Landwasser Viaduct, a curved limestone railway soaring some 300 feet above the valley, cutting through the mountains and offering breathtaking views while it runs during the spring and summer seasons.
Claudia Agnolazza, project manager for Liechtenstein tourism, debuted the Liechtenstein Trail, a 46-mile trek conducted by hiking or biking that passes through the tiny principality’s 11 towns, with side quests like alpaca trekking, museum visits and cabin stays available. In Vaduz, the capital, she recommended taking in the art museum, now celebrating its 25th year, and trying käsknöpfle, the national dish of cheese dumplings.
Martine Klooster, international sales manager for Schilthorn Cableway Ltd., was tasked with introducing the privately operated cable car that ferries guests to world’s tallest revolving restaurant, Piz Gloria, sitting 10,000 feet above sea level and offering views above the clouds of some 200 alpine peaks. A bit further down the mountain is Mürren, an alpine village with 11 hotels reachable only by cable car known as the birthplace of alpine sledding.
“Thinking about a Christmas Hallmark movie? This is it,” Ms. Klooster’s said.
The gondola from the valley floor to Mürren is included in the Swiss Travel Pass, the one-price option that gives travelers access to all public transportation modes across Switzerland, from trains and trams to boats and cable cars. The pass offers a half-off discount for access to the Schilthorn’s higher sections.
The Schilthorn system is now undergoing renovations that will double capacity and cut travel time in half to 40 minutes, all while adding support that will make the larger cars more wind-resistant.
On the way up, guests are treated to views of frozen waterfalls in a landscape that Ms. Klooster said inspired J.R.R. Tolkein’s descriptions of the elven kingdom of Rivendell in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Perhaps the best part for Atlantans, she said, is that a train takes travelers from the Zurich airport directly to Interlaken, a gateway town at the base of the mountain, which offers 30 miles of dedicated sledging slopes perfect for family picnics in the snow.
Swiss Consul General Urs Broennimann hosted the event at his residence in Sandy Springs.
Visit Switzerland Tourism at https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/ or contact Mr. Zurmühle for more information.