Unveil Beautiful Accessible Switzerland

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The Accessible Travel Foundation raises awareness on the importance of accessible travel. Every other year the Awards of Excellence are given to companies, non-profits, travelers and others who stand out from the crowd when it comes to raising awareness or contributing to the world of accessible travel.

Unveil beautiful accessible Switzerland

Accessible Switzerland won 3rd place in the 2025 Awards of Excellence in the category Travel Company. The Claire and George Foundation was founded in 2013. Since then a rather impressive collection of accessible hotels, tours and audits have been added to the foundations projects and tours. We understand this foundation received quite a few votes.

5 things you need to know about this third place award winner in the Awards of Excellence in the category Travel Company in Switzerland.

When did you start your work and why?

The idea for our business case originated from my personal situation. I realized that travelling with my late mother was no longer possible without nursing services available directly in the hotel. Although a variety of private and public care services exist at home for people with health issues, no comparable service was available for tourists. In addition, there was no reliable information on which hotels offered accessible rooms and infrastructure suitable for people with mobility limitations.

So, we started from scratch: we partnered with care service organisations to bring their support directly into hotels, and we began collecting accessibility information to cover the needs of travellers with reduced mobility and other specific requirements. To apply for public funding during the start-up phase, we established the Claire & George Foundation in 2013. The name reflects the concept: Claire represents the caregiver, and George the butler – symbolising the connection between the care system and the Swiss hospitality sector.

Tell us a bit about your city and how you experience it in terms of accessibility

The Claire & George Foundation is based in Bern, located in the heart of Switzerland in a bilingual German- and French-speaking canton. With its medieval old town, the city has preserved much of its welcoming and authentic character, making it an attractive destination for both locals and international visitors. Because parts of the old town are paved with cobblestones, we created a walking city tour featuring the most accessible routes for wheelchair users to enjoy Bern’s highlights independently, including recommendations for places to eat, drink and relax in pleasant surroundings. We have also developed similar accessible city walks for Zurich and Basel.

What is your favourite accessible destination?

Swiss mountains and nature are among the most sought-after highlights, right after Swiss cheese and chocolate! Besides the iconic Alpine top attractions, some of my favourite destinations are the calmer regions around Lake Constance, Lake Geneva and Lake Biel. These areas offer panoramic views, lush green landscapes and charming cities with beautiful sights, all accessible and wonderfully relaxing.

If you could spend 1 million on improving accessibility in your country, what would you do?

Many tourist destinations already offer accessible accommodation and activities. Public transport is also widely accessible, although assistance is sometimes required, something we can arrange for our clients. As demand for barrier-free transportation, accommodation and nursing services continues to grow due to an ageing population, I would invest the funds in raising awareness, strengthening communication and marketing, and closing existing information gaps. Our goal is to expand our website into a national platform for accessible travel in Switzerland.

What would you like to share with our followers?

Many people still do not know that travelling is possible and that help and assistance can be organized. When people are aware of available services, they travel more and with increased demand, the range of accessible infrastructure and services expands as well. We have seen this effect firsthand. Additionally, we would invest in staff training to help people understand that accessible travel benefits everyone, including ourselves as we age.