Thirty-six people from a private education group, an eight-day study tour. The group went inside the Palais des Nations in Geneva, and a senior UBS executive led them on a one-hour walk at the bank's Zurich headquarters. The rest: five-star hotels, the Jungfrau, a Swiss fondue feast and a tasting in the Lavaux vineyards.
Delivered
ZeL CuraToursA corporate journey case study · zelcuratours.com
The client wanted a study tour: a look at how an international institution and a major company work, and a proper experience of Switzerland. Most Swiss study tours stop for a photo outside the United Nations, and a visit to a major company is hard to arrange at all.
This time
This group went inside the Palais des Nations and had a private walk at UBS headquarters. Everything else was the best and most comfortable of Switzerland: five-star hotels, the Jungfrau, the GoldenPass train, a fondue feast and the Lavaux vineyards.
02
The Idea
Switzerland's great institutions, and Switzerland itself.
The journey has two parts. One is the visits: the United Nations in Geneva and UBS headquarters in Zurich. The other is Switzerland itself: five-star hotels throughout, two nights in a lake-view suite at the two-Michelin-Key Mandarin Oriental in Lucerne, the three fondues of a Swiss national feast, the Top of Europe at Jungfraujoch, a tasting in the UNESCO-listed Lavaux vineyards and Michelin-recommended tables.
01
Inside the United Nations
Geneva
02
UBS headquarters, with a senior executive
Zurich
03
The Top of Europe
Jungfraujoch · 3,454 m
04
A Swiss feast of three fondues
Lucerne
05
Two Michelin Keys, two nights in a lake-view suite
Lucerne
06
A tasting in a UNESCO vineyard
Lavaux · Lake Geneva
03
How the Journey Unfolds
Eight days, in and out of Zurich.
The Route
Two nights in Lucerne for the mountains, the GoldenPass train to Lake Geneva, then back to Zurich for UBS
Day 1 · ZurichArrival, a chocolate house, a welcome dinner in the old town
Day 2 · LucerneLunch on Mount Pilatus, the Chapel Bridge and the Lion Monument, a fondue night
Day 3 · JungfraujochA day out from Lucerne, by mountain railway to 3,454 metres
Day 4 · GoldenPassThe GoldenPass train to Montreux, a tasting at Chillon, Geneva by evening
Days 4–5 · GenevaInside the United Nations; Lavaux as a day out
Day 6 · Bern → ZurichThe Bern rose garden, the UBS headquarters walk, a farewell dinner
Days 7–8 · HomeA free morning in Zurich, then the flight home
Five decisions, each different from the usual study tour.
01
Decision 01
Inside the UN, and inside UBS.
The usual way
Most study tours in Geneva take a group photo outside the Palais des Nations. A major company is harder still, and usually not possible.
This journey
We spent three weeks arranging it. The group went inside the Palais des Nations; in Zurich, UBS's head of corporate responsibility walked the group for an hour through the bank's history and the old buildings around it.
WhyWhat a study tour wants most is to see places people normally cannot. Anyone can take a photo outside.
02
Decision 02
Switzerland first, the visits later.
The usual way
The most important visits on day one or two.
This journey
The first three days are Mount Pilatus and the Jungfrau, and day four is the GoldenPass train to Lake Geneva. The UN visit comes during the two days in Geneva, and UBS on day six, the last full day before home.
WhyJust off the plane, people are still adjusting to the time difference. Once they have settled in and are enjoying themselves, they take much more from the visits.
03
Decision 03
Good hotels, and fewer moves.
The usual way
A new city and a new hotel every day.
This journey
Five-star hotels throughout. Two nights in a lake-view suite at the two-Michelin-Key Mandarin Oriental in Lucerne, with the Jungfrau as a day out; two nights in Geneva, with Lavaux as a day out. Six nights, three hotel moves.
WhyFor a group of thirty-six, every hotel change means packing and waiting for luggage. Fewer moves make the whole trip easier.
04
Decision 04
A scenic train instead of hours on a coach.
The usual way
Lucerne to Geneva by coach, straight through, hours in a seat.
This journey
Part of the way is on the GoldenPass train to Montreux, with valleys, lakes and villages outside the window. Then Chillon Castle on the lake, a glass of Lavaux white wine in the castle cellar, and Geneva by evening.
WhyThe journey has to be made anyway. On the GoldenPass, the travel time becomes part of the trip.
05
Decision 05
Swiss meals and Asian meals, in turn.
The usual way
Western food for eight days, or a Chinese restaurant every night.
This journey
Swiss food for the meals that matter: the welcome dinner in Zurich's old town, lunch on top of Mount Pilatus, a Swiss feast of three fondues (cheese, bourguignonne and chocolate) with a folklore show in Lucerne, a lakeside lunch in Geneva and a restaurant recommended by Michelin ten years running. The other meals are Korean barbecue, hot pot and Chinese; the last night is Southeast Asian food and karaoke.
WhyWestern food every day and people soon miss rice; Chinese food every day and it is as if they never came. Taking turns, everyone eats well.
One more thing
An hour with UBS.
At three in the afternoon on day six, the group met outside UBS headquarters on Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich. The bank's head of corporate responsibility walked them for an hour through the bank's history and the old buildings around it that are part of that story. Had it rained, the walk would have moved indoors to the UBS Forum on the ground floor.
The Designer's Note
Switzerland has more to see than eight days can hold. For this group we chose two kinds of things only: places a normal study tour cannot get into, and the experiences that say Switzerland best.
Zelts Yang · Journey Designer
Travel This Journey With Your Team
A journey that has been travelled, adjusted for your organisation.
Starting from this journey, we adjust the visits, the pace and the learning focus to your organisation.
Group size
This group was thirty-six. We plan and quote for your number.
What can change
The institutions visited, the days in the mountains and by the lake, and how each meal is planned.
Care
The UN and UBS visits were confirmed before departure, not requested on arrival; the UBS walk had an indoor option if it rained.
