Why was it interesting to interview Guglielmo? He is a Swiss hotelier and one of the most prominent figures in Switzerland’s tourism and hospitality sector. Trained at the prestigious École hôtelière de Lausanne, he built his career both as an operator and as a strategic leader in the industry, managing hotels and advising hospitality businesses through his company H&G Hotel Gast AG. Over the years he has played an influential role in shaping Swiss tourism policy and industry strategy. He served as president of the national hotel association HotellerieSuisse from 2005 to 2014 and has also chaired or served on the boards of several tourism and business institutions, including leadership roles in Zurich’s tourism ecosystem and other major Swiss organizations. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Zurich Airport, one of the country’s most important international gateways. Through these roles he has become a key voice on issues such as industry competitiveness, workforce shortages and the long-term positioning of Switzerland as a global tourism destination.
This interview is interesting because it combines personal biography with strategic insight into one of Switzerland’s most important economic sectors. The conversation moves from childhood influences and career decisions to broader reflections on leadership, industry transformation and the future of tourism. It offers an unusually candid perspective on topics such as labour shortages, technological change, sustainability, political decision-making and the cultural values shaping hospitality. By blending personal experience with industry-level thinking, the interview provides a rare window into how tourism leaders understand the structural challenges facing modern destinations—and how cooperation, innovation and long-term thinking might address them.
Here’s our exchange:
Where are you originally from, and what was your childhood like there?
I grew up in Unterseen in the Bernese Oberland, in an environment with a very strong Italian influence. My parents ran a fruit and vegetable retail and wholesale business, a hotel and a cold store, and also bred sheep and pigs. It was typically Italian: a little bit of everything.
Most of the employees were from Italy. Apart from conversations with my family, Italian was the language I used on a day-to-day basis—around the table, at work, throughout the entire day. And as is often the case, as the youngest child with three older sisters, I was of course a bit spoilt in this Italian environment.
How would you describe the dynamics within your family, and who influenced you the most during your childhood and teenage years?
My mother and grandmother had a big influence on me, as did my aunts and godmother from Italy. They were the most important people in my life. My father was also very important to me, but he was deeply involved in his work and was therefore someone I mainly respected from a distance.
My closest relationships were with the women in my family, as well as with the employees—both men and women—who were very close to me. We were essentially like one big family.
Are there any cultural or family traditions from your childhood that have had a notable influence on your values?
Yes, definitely. Italian culture had a strong influence on me. Living in the Protestant environment of the Bernese Oberland, the Catholic Italian elements—incense, pictures of the Pope and rituals—felt special. They gave you a sense of security, and that sense of security stays with you throughout your life.
Looking back, this blending of Italian warmth and the down-to-earth nature of the Bernese was a great gift. It shaped who I am, both in my interactions with other people and in my understanding of work and responsibility.
What motivated you to study what you studied?
Originally there were three fields that interested me: teaching, medicine and the hotel industry. Teaching appealed to me because teachers were highly respected at the time, but I soon gave up on that idea. Medicine would also have interested me, but I was not ambitious enough academically.
I have, however, always been passionate about the hotel industry. Tourism is very important in the Bernese Oberland. To get into the hotel management school in Lausanne, I first had to complete an apprenticeship. I therefore did a commercial apprenticeship at the debt collection and bankruptcy office in Interlaken.
To be honest, those three years were rather difficult. I often felt bored because there was not enough work to do. That made me look forward even more to going to Lausanne. Once I arrived there, I realised that it suited me perfectly. To this day I cannot imagine a better industry than hospitality and tourism.
I have also enjoyed working ever since I was very young. When I was about twelve years old, my parents gave me a choice: either receive 20 francs pocket money per month or earn two francs per hour of work. Naturally, I chose the two francs per hour. From then on, I worked regularly, earned good money and enjoyed a certain degree of financial independence from an early age.
How would you describe the work you currently do and the responsibilities it involves?
I believe it makes for a great career to first learn a profession from the very bottom of the ladder, to experience operations directly and later contribute expertise and experience at a strategic level.
I have been doing this for around twenty years now—on management boards, within associations and in advisory roles. I find this work very rewarding. It complements my operational work as a hotelier.
Both areas are enjoyable in their own way, although they also require a significant amount of time. Moving into the strategic sphere at around the age of forty was definitely the right decision for me.
Looking back, what was the riskiest decision you ever made, and what did you learn from it?
Looking back, standing for election as president of HotellerieSuisse was a bold decision. After being elected, I deliberately set out to introduce change within the association. That always involves risks.
I was happy to take those risks, and in the end things worked out well. I believe we were able to influence how the public perceives the hospitality industry. When you can shape public perception, you also indirectly strengthen an industry’s political relevance.
What I learned from this experience is that leadership is not about always being right, but about taking responsibility—even when the outcome is uncertain.
How did you deal with political resistance to innovation?
I am someone who relies strongly on intuition. You have to really understand an issue, clearly identify what it is about and be able to explain what a possible solution might look like.
The order of steps is crucial. First you need to convince the people who work in the industry. Then you draw the public’s attention to the issue. Only when there is genuine demand do you have a political chance. Without the support of the industry and the public, it is almost impossible to persuade politicians.
Have there been situations where key figures have been misleading?
Yes—for example during negotiations on the national collective employment agreement. I had to learn how trade unions think.
My argument was that the industry could not afford higher wages. The response was immediate: if that were the case, then the industry should disappear and make way for businesses that could afford them.
At first that seemed inconceivable to me. But it was not entirely wrong. I therefore had to adjust my strategy and look for shared interests—such as training and productivity improvements. That allowed us to find common ground.
For me personally, this was an important lesson. You make much more progress when you try to understand the other side before simply arguing.
Sustainability versus profitability – where have you made compromises?
Travel generates CO₂, especially journeys to and from a destination. That is simply a fact. If you want to reduce emissions while still allowing growth, guests need to stay longer. That is a strategic consequence.
Extending the length of stays is therefore an important strategic goal for our destination. Social sustainability is also important to me, which includes fair wages. Economic sustainability, in turn, requires profitable businesses.
Finding a balance between these dimensions is not easy, but it is essential.
How has COVID-19 changed your view of risk management?
Short business trips are now largely a thing of the past. Flying from Zurich to London in the morning and returning in the evening had already begun to decline even before the pandemic, but COVID-19 accelerated that change dramatically.
The most important lesson is that crises will occur again. The decisive factor is whether you have prepared properly in advance and whether stakeholders come together during the crisis to determine how to respond.
In April 2020 we produced a white paper on this subject. Only through cooperation between politicians, employees, investors and other stakeholders can such crises be overcome successfully.
The shortage of skilled workers is a chronic problem in the hospitality industry. Which three structural changes would you implement across the industry – and which do you feel is realistic from a political standpoint?
There is no single answer to this question because the starting point varies greatly from one business to another. Models such as the four-day week or schedules based on employee preferences can be useful solutions.
However, for me, sustainable solutions lie elsewhere. Repetitive work should be reduced as much as possible to make the professions more attractive. Digitalisation and artificial intelligence offer great potential here, but so far we have used far too little of it.
The most important factor for me, however, is good governance. This means clear structures, a healthy corporate culture and a good working environment. When employees enjoy their work and take pride in their shared success, the shortage of skilled workers becomes far less severe. In short: simplify processes, make better use of digital technologies and invest consistently in culture and leadership.
How do you measure the actual social and economic value of major events or tourism campaigns – beyond the typical key figures?
For our industry, it is about much more than simply counting overnight stays. The key question is: what does an event bring to a city or region in the long term? What legacy does it leave behind?
An event must create value for all stakeholders—both for the industry and for the general population. Only then can it become a powerful tool for the long-term positioning of a destination. Image transfer also plays an important role.
If Zurich wants to position itself as an innovative location, for example, conferences and events in areas such as cleantech, robotics or artificial intelligence can support this image. But this positioning must reflect reality; otherwise the effect will be short-lived.
At the same time, there are major public events such as the Street Parade, sporting competitions and concerts. Internationally, Zurich is still sometimes perceived as a “grey banking city” by people who have never visited. The Street Parade contradicts that image entirely and shows that Zurich is vibrant, open-minded and diverse.
I would like to see politics and industry work together more closely to define how Zurich should be perceived internationally and which events best support that positioning. At present, too much is left to chance. A clear joint strategy would make it easier to attract the right events and conferences in a targeted way, creating benefits for the city, the economy, tourism and the residents.
How do you ensure that initial and further training programmes keep pace with rapidly changing realities?
For me there are three key elements.
First, the ability to listen carefully. Second, anticipating which skills will be needed in the future. And third, truly understanding young people.
Even the ancient Greeks complained that the younger generation would not succeed. But the issue is not that young people are worse—it is simply that things will be different. It is important to understand these changes and take them seriously. Training programmes, further education and job profiles must then be adapted accordingly so that they meet the needs of future generations.
Which technologies in the hotel industry are overrated – and which are underrated?
I do not believe that service staff, kitchen teams, receptionists or housekeeping employees will be replaced by robots in the next twenty years. There may be entertaining uses—such as robots delivering room service—but these are more of a novelty than a sustainable solution.
Digitalisation as a whole, however, and artificial intelligence in particular, are still underestimated. They offer enormous potential: helping us better understand guests, providing tailored services and avoiding unnecessary or costly offers.
I also see major opportunities in internal processes, training new employees and simplifying workflows. The industry is only just beginning to explore these possibilities.
What would be your three legislative priorities for Switzerland’s tourism sector?
First, the possibility of shopping in city centres on Sundays. Shopping is one of the main reasons people travel, and tourists are usually present at weekends. If they cannot shop, they simply spend their money elsewhere.
Second, data protection. In my view, the way it is currently implemented in Europe and Switzerland is excessive. I am not advocating the absence of data protection, but a more pragmatic balance would benefit everyone.
Third, legislation concerning second homes. In mountain regions and lakeside areas this is unfair to the hotel industry. Hotels cannot simply be converted in the same way as other properties, and the restrictions reduce the dynamism that the industry needs.
What legacy would you like to leave the Swiss hospitality sector?
For me, cooperation is the key. I often refer to the old Alpine principle of “common land.” Several farmers graze their livestock on a shared mountain pasture and hire a dairyman who produces cheese for all of them. In the end, each farmer receives a share proportional to the milk produced by their cows. It is a fascinating symbiosis between community and individual responsibility.
Applying this way of thinking to our industry could open new solutions, especially in mountain regions. Cooperation already works relatively well in cities such as Zurich. In many tourist destinations, however, everyone still tries to do everything independently instead of working together to create greater value for guests.
When people in Zurich decide to pursue a shared goal—such as improving the quality of the stay or developing more sustainable structures—they often manage to collaborate very effectively. I find this approach impressive and would like to see it spread more widely throughout the industry.
What gives you hope for the younger generations and what concerns you?
Tourism and hospitality continue to attract young people. It is not an industry where you become rich quickly, but it is meaningful, dynamic and international. I believe this will continue to appeal to new generations.
What worries me somewhat is a tendency toward self-centred thinking among some young people. Many focus primarily on their own needs, which can sometimes make it harder to persevere or to think in the long term.
At the same time, I see many young people who are extremely committed, socially aware and guided by strong values. That gives me great confidence.
Which historical figure would you like to spend a day with – and why?
William Tell. I am fascinated by how he managed to unite very independent confederates against a common enemy. I would simply ask him: how did you do it? And then listen very carefully.
What is the one value that society should never be without?
Tolerance. I find intolerance extremely difficult to deal with—whether it is intolerance toward new ideas, toward people who think differently or toward those with different backgrounds or lifestyles. Unfortunately, society currently seems to be moving in the opposite direction, which I find very worrying.
Humanity is facing radical changes. To name just ten: geopolitical instability, climate change, economic inequalities, technological risks, public health challenges, political polarization, resource scarcity, humanitarian crises, misinformation, and disparities in global healthcare access. If, in an imaginative exercise, you had the power to solve one of these problems, which one would you choose first and why?
Climate change. In my view it is the greatest challenge facing humanity. If we trust the scientific evidence—which I certainly do—it threatens the very foundations of our existence.
The problem can only be solved through global cooperation. Whether humanity will succeed in doing so remains uncertain. Politically, national self-interest often dominates. Europe is showing willingness, but it is still not doing enough.
If a solution emerges, it will probably come from technological and economic innovation rather than purely moral motivation. Historically, humanity has rarely acted rationally early enough, and that gives me pause for thought.
In your opinion, what do people owe each other?
Respect. Respect for different opinions and ways of life. People can hold different views without one side necessarily being wrong.
What did not go as planned in 2025, and what did you learn from it?
The revitalisation of city centres did not progress as hoped. On this issue we depend heavily on political decisions. Without political will, it is difficult to make real progress. That is unfortunate, but it must be accepted. Aside from that, I am very satisfied with how 2025 unfolded.
I often say at the end of the year: if the year was successful, look forward to the next one. And if it was difficult, then you have even more reason to look forward to the future.
What are your personal goals for 2026?
I am not a great believer in New Year’s resolutions. Goals should not depend on a specific date. What matters is constantly working on yourself and consistently pursuing small, realistic improvements.
What message would you like to hear during the last moments of your life?
That I was a good person. That I made the right decisions at crucial moments and followed my conscience. Or, as they say in Bernese German: “Du bisch ä Zwäääge.”