The Annual industry meeting "Sport Tourism Forum" moves to the Google Cloud and sets an example for transformation. Around 40 experts will discuss how AI is revolutionizing travel planning, how digital platforms are redefining outdoor sports and whether hiking can be a sustainable alternative to traditional winter tourism all year round.

AI and digital platforms as drivers

Whether booking platforms, interactive tools or technical assistants - data-based solutions are increasingly shaping destination management. The TTA-VConnector, a tool for the intelligent networking of travel planning, will show how tourism regions can use these developments. Komoot and Decathlon will also be presenting strategies for reaching outdoor communities digitally. Practical examples will illustrate how data-driven innovations are shaping sports tourism.

Year-round hiking as an alternative to ski tourism?

Winter hiking, urban hiking and specialized hiking villages are establishing themselves as alternatives to skiing. Representatives of the Swiss Hiking Trails, the Austrian Hiking Villages and the German Hiking Association discuss what infrastructure is needed and how destinations are responding to this trend.

Generation Z: travelers with new priorities

Generation Z travels differently to previous generations. Shorter but more frequent trips, a growing focus on individuality and a willingness to spend more on winter experiences characterize their behaviour. Alexander Dyskin from Simon-Kucher explains how destinations should respond to this.

New formats: From e-ski to gamification

The increasing demand for yoga retreats, fitness festivals and classic sports camps reflects the changing needs of travelers. What formats can tourist regions use to create added value? E-skiing, for example, promises a new form of mobility in the mountains, while digital reward systems such as the Alpenbrevet Extended strengthen guest loyalty. The forum will show which concepts have already been successfully implemented.

Cybercrime is a growing risk in Switzerland. The latest figures from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO): 59,034 crimes involving digital crimes were registered in 2024, more than doubling since 2020. Cybercrime accounts for over 90 %, including hacking, fraud on classified ad platforms and phishing - risks to which online platforms are inherently exposed.

The SMG Swiss Marketplace Group is responding to this development and considers itself responsible. That is why it invests millions every year in state-of-the-art security technologies, prevention work and user education.

SMG with integrated security architecture on several levels

SMG relies on a security strategy that combines technology, prevention and cooperation with authorities and specialist alliances. These include:

• Digital identity & login: Introduction of passwordless login and adaptive multi-factor authentication (MFA) on several platforms. Ricardo is one of the pioneers in Europe with "Smart Push MFA".
• Risk-based security approach: Decisions are based on rule-based, increasingly AI-supported assessments for context-related security, depending on the action and user behavior.
• Cross-platform collaboration: Insights and security solutions are used across platforms to provide maximum protection across the entire network.
• Verification by means of Know-Your-Customer (KYC): Semi-automated identity verification; now fully autonomous on the General Marketplaces.
• Close collaboration with law enforcement authorities: Including an automated portal that considerably speeds up the exchange with authorities.
• Commitment to standards: Memberships of digitalswitzerland and the FIDO Alliance underline the commitment to digital security at national and international level.

Phishing and prevention: raising awareness is key

Phishing remains a popular gateway for fraudsters - often via deceptively genuine websites, for example for fake parcel services or payment portals. According to the FSO, the number of such attacks rose by 56.2 % in 2024. The "antiphishing.ch" platform even recorded over 975,000 suspicious activity reportsThis enabled 20,872 phishing websites to be identified (+108 % compared to the previous year). In around two thirds of cases, Swiss brand names, including Ricardo, were misused.

SMG has its own process for the rapid removal of fraudulent websites. Nevertheless, it is not technically possible to completely prevent phishing attacks. SMG therefore relies on targeted user education - with campaigns, platform information, FAQs, social media, newsletters and blog posts. In addition, SMG is conducting national awareness campaigns together with Swiss Crime Prevention (SCP) to draw attention to the risks of classified ad fraud.

SMG also promotes security awareness among its employees: An open security culture is established with the annual "Cybersecurity Month", ongoing internal training and a bug bounty program that also rewards external tips.

Maximum security when buying second-hand

Since 2024, the Ricardo platform has offered an additional, optional security function with "MoneyGuard". This makes private online transactions even more secure and trustworthy, which promotes sustainable trade in second-hand products. MoneyGuard protects buyers and sellers alike: Payments are made before shipping, but are only released once receipt and quality of the goods have been confirmed - protecting against forms of fraud such as non-delivery, non-payment or wildly differing product descriptions. Thanks to all security measures, including MoneyGuard, the fraud rate on Ricardo was reduced to less than 0.3 % of all transactions in 2024.

Digital security remains the focus of SMG

The threat situation in the digital space will remain dynamic in the future. The actual number of cyber fraud cases is also likely to be far higher than the figures reported by the FSO. For SMG, digital security is therefore an ongoing task with the highest priority. Protection mechanisms will continue to be developed on an ongoing basis, rolled out across platforms and invested in raising awareness among users and employees.

Source: Swiss Marketplace Group

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/smg-investiert-gezielt-in-digitale-sicherheit/

French-speaking Switzerland is experiencing strong economic growth. As a strategically important region for the healthcare sector, finance and research, it is home to important national and international hubs. The new Furrerhugi site on Rue du Bourg is located in the immediate vicinity of the political institutions of the canton of Vaud. In this way, the agency aims to further expand its role as a bridge-builder between the linguistic regions and bring the perspectives of French-speaking Switzerland into the national discourse in a targeted manner.

Newsletter in French

The Furrerhugi newsletter is now also published in French with content from French-speaking Switzerland. Every month, "Influence" analyzes political, economic and social issues, provides in-depth background reports and stimulates public debate.

"We have been supporting companies from French-speaking Switzerland in their expansion into German-speaking Switzerland and Ticino for years. Now we are strengthening our presence in French-speaking Switzerland in order to better connect the economic players with each other - across language borders," explains Chrystel Domenjoz, Furrerhugi's partner for French-speaking Switzerland and former producer of the RTS program "Forum".

"As a national agency, we are convinced of the importance of local roots," adds CEO Andreas Hugi. "Our employees are at home in all language regions. Our team in French-speaking Switzerland combines expert knowledge with a first-class network in the cantons of French-speaking Switzerland. This benefits both our customers in French-speaking Switzerland and those from other language regions who want to develop further in French-speaking Switzerland."

"The Pilot Suisse team impressed us from the very first meeting with their many years of detailed expertise in the Swiss market and their feel for the essentials," says Nicolas Bill, Head of Marketing at Obi Switzerland, explaining the decision. "We deliberately chose Pilot Suisse for the Swiss market because we not only found an agency with excellent market knowledge, but also a partner that thinks beyond national borders. The Pilot agency group already successfully supports Obi Germany, which allows us to create valuable synergies and further develop our brand strategy in Switzerland in an even more targeted manner."

Ahmad Hoteit, Managing Partner of Pilot Suisse, is delighted: "Especially as a young media agency, we are delighted to have such a well-known client as Obi - especially because it is a very exciting task to quickly make such a challenger brand visible in the local market environment."

"It's great to see that the USPs with which we launched in Switzerland last year are being accepted and appreciated by clients and are working as a decision criterion for our agency," adds Ben Moser, Managing Partner of Pilot Suisse.

The conference was entirely dedicated to the rapid development of AI in marketing. As it was already very well received, the organizer decided to expand the event from two to four stages. Among others, Sabine Lehmann from Google Deepmind, Claudio Mirti from Microsoft, Dr. Imanol Schlag from the ETH AI Center and Ivana Lachner from Adobe took to the stage.

In keynotes, masterclasses and panels, the 32 experts shared their knowledge on topics such as generative AI, the automation of marketing processes and the legal challenges involved in using AI. Particular attention was paid to the practical use of tools for producing texts, images and videos as well as for optimizing marketing strategies.

"We want to prepare marketing managers in Switzerland for the challenges of the AI future and ensure that they have the right tools and knowledge to be successful in an AI-driven world," says Tanja Herrmann, founder and managing director of the "AI in Marketing Conference". Participants were shown how important it is to get to grips with the technology at an early stage in order to remain competitive and develop future-oriented marketing strategies.

The next edition will take place on April 23, 2026.

Source and further information: https://www.ai-in-marketing.ch/

Dreame Technology was founded in 2017 and is a future-oriented consumer goods company specializing in smart household appliances. The company offers robotic vacuum cleaners, wet and dry vacuum cleaners, cordless stick vacuums, lawn mowers and hair care products, among other things.

PRfact has been providing Dreame Technology with media and public relations support since the beginning of March this year. In addition to daily media work, the agency's mandate also includes the communication of new products and support at trade fairs and events.

AI-supported videos open up new perspectives for media, companies and creatives. But as technological advances grow, so do the challenges: How is AI changing storytelling? What risks does automation entail? And how can quality, ethics and credibility be ensured in a media world increasingly shaped by AI?

These questions are at the center of the Themed conference "AI videos - opportunities and risks"which Maz will be holding in Lucerne on May 21, 2025. The event is aimed at media and communication professionals, creatives, scientists and decision-makers who want to find out about the latest developments in the field of AI and video.

Use cases and overarching perspectives

To kick things off, satirist and director Patrick "Karpi" Karpiczenko will shed light on the impact of AI-generated videos on journalism - with a critical but also humorous look at the media landscape. Filmmaker Jan Janutin and communicator Antonia Zahner will then show the extent to which AI videos can already be found in film production, marketing and corporate communications.

Prof. Touradj Ebrahimi from EPFL Lausanne and Dr. Patrick Raemy from the University of Fribourg will introduce the technical and scientific part of the conference. They will analyze the current possibilities and limitations of AI-supported videos and discuss the effects on credibility and media ethics.

The event will conclude with a panel discussion in which all speakers will debate the potential and risks of AI videos for media houses and companies.

The web agency Destinazio from Valais is the first Swiss company to receive the Webflow Enterprise Partner Label. The content management system Webflow has established itself as an alternative to traditional web development platforms and only awards this label to agencies with proven expertise in the implementation of large, international digital projects. According to information provided, such labels have so far mainly been awarded to agencies in major cities such as New York, Paris or London - now one of the coveted certifications is going to Switzerland for the first time.

According to Managing Director Chris Bachmann, the award is a confirmation of the company's many years of work: "It was an incredible moment to know that our work and technical expertise are being recognized worldwide."

From Valais to the international web industry

Destinazio was founded twelve years ago as part of a funding program of the University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland (HES-SO Valais) and originally started with the development of a semantic search engine for mountain bike tours. In the years that followed, the company developed into a specialized web agency. While classic CMS such as WordPress or Typo3 were used in the beginning, Destinazio has relied entirely on Webflow since 2019.

Today, the agency's clients include local companies as well as international corporations such as PepsiCo, public institutions and national associations.

Successful project with trading platform Deriv

Destinazio took the decisive step towards the Webflow Enterprise Partner Label with a project for the global online broker Deriv. The company, which has over 2.5 million registered users and 21 million monthly website visits, was looking for an agency that could implement a multilingual web platform with high technical standards.

"Our multilingualism, the 'Swissness' factor and a professional pitch helped to build the necessary trust," explains Bachmann. Over the course of six months, Destinazio migrated over 6,000 pages for the new financial platform and coordinated the project across three time zones with 30 participants.

The successful project ultimately also impressed Webflow: Destinazio was the first Swiss agency to be awarded the Enterprise Partner Label - a milestone for the company and a signal for the Swiss digital industry.

March 26, 2025 was International Data Center Day. It reminds us of the indispensable, but mostly invisible, role that data centers play in the development of innovations that shape our modern lives. Data centers are far more than just "warehouses filled with servers"; they are the backbone of countless advances, including AI-powered solutions, that we encounter every day: from accelerating breakthroughs in research to facilitating lightning-fast financial transactions, from online gaming and streaming to social media and cloud storage, data centers are central.

The emergence of generative AI, real-time analytics and hyper-connectivity is not only transforming industries, but also redefining how we live, work and tackle global challenges. Data centers are at the heart of this transformation, serving as the engines for processing, storing and securing the data that drives progress. For this reason, the data center industry is experiencing unprecedented growth, with $734 billion of investment announced in 2024 and 2025 by 20 leading data center companies (source generation.org).

Here in Switzerland, we are continuously investing in our five IBX data centers (three in Zurich and two in Geneva). The sixth expansion phase is already underway at the ZH4 data center in the heart of Zurich to meet the ever-increasing demand for connectivity. The expansion is scheduled for completion in 2027. In Geneva, the GV1 data center has undergone further technological development and uses water from Lake Geneva for cooling.

The data center industry is at the forefront of the digital revolution. At Equinix, we are growing our data centers sustainably and are committed to a new generation of data center workers who will help keep the world connected. Together, we are shaping a future where technology is used for the common good, laying the foundation for shared progress.

International Data Center Day is about raising awareness of the data center industry and encouraging the next generation of talent to enter the industry.

More information: https://www.equinix.com/de/de/

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/international-data-center-day-2025-herzstueck-des-digitalen-wandels/

The advertising market in Switzerland also closed down in February 2025. Advertising pressure from "traditional" media amounted to 255.8 million gross francs, which corresponds to a decline of 3.6% compared to the same month last year. Print, TV, radio and cinema were particularly affected, while out-of-home was the only media category to increase, with growth of 8.7%. Nevertheless, the ranking in the media mix remains unchanged, with TV ahead of print, followed by out-of-home, radio and cinema.

After the first two months of the year, cumulative traditional advertising expenditure amounted to CHF 517.3 million, which corresponds to a decline of 4.8% compared to the previous year.

Digital advertising: Search remains ahead, YouTube continues to grow

Search continues to hold the top position in the digital advertising market with a share of 45.4%, although Google adjustments led to a decline in advertising pressure. Display advertising follows with 35.5%, while YouTube is the only category to record a positive development with 19.1%.

Retail trade dominates the traditional advertising market

Of the 21 sectors analyzed, only seven were able to escape the general negative trend. Retail led the ranking with growth of 32%, further extending its lead. The telecommunications sector (+15.6 %), financial services (+13.6 %) and the energy sector (+38.4 %) also showed a positive trend.

The tobacco industry recorded the largest losses (-84.3 %), which is attributable to the new advertising bans. Food (-8.5 %), leisure/hospitality/tourism (-24.7 %) and pharmaceuticals/health (-17.2 %) also suffered significant declines.

Digital vs. traditional advertising: a comparison of sectors

The leisure, gastronomy and tourism sector leads the digital advertising market, followed by retail and financial services. In the traditional advertising market, however, the retail trade is in the lead, while the financial services sector is only in fifth place.

Tobacco products, events and cleaning products occupy the last places in the digital advertising market, although some of them were able to make year-on-year gains. In the traditional market, the tobacco industry remains in last place, directly followed by the energy, media and transportation sectors.

Most popular products in February

In the display area, spusu.ch is at the top, while booking.com has the highest advertising presence in search. On YouTube, the Audi A6 E-Tron is in first place. Tui Reisen and Tui.ch also made it into the top 10 digital advertising campaigns.

The traditional Zurich Logistics Colloquium is celebrating its 40th edition: on May 8, 2025, three leading personalities will present the creative solutions and skilful use of individual potential that have led their companies to new successes. Participants will benefit from innovative impulses and pioneering ideas from these lighthouse projects.

This year, the experts will be speaking under the motto "Added value through logistics". The topics in detail:

The presentations will provide new food for thought, potential and ideas. The subsequent aperitif riche will provide an opportunity for a lively exchange with the speakers, other experts and guests.

More information: www.acel.ch

The most important in a nutshell

Date: Thursday, May 8, 2025, 5:15 p.m.

Location: Lecturers' Foyer of ETH Zurich, Rämistrasse 101, 8092 Zurich

Participation: CHF 120.-

Your registration - quick, easy and convenient via QR code, at www.acel.ch/aktuelles/veranstaltungen/ or by e-mail to info@acel.ch

Registration deadline: Thursday, May 1, 2025

The number of participants is limited.

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/leuchtturmprojekte-mehrwert-durch-logistik/

Like already in the previous year Twint leads the reputation ranking of Swiss companies. The company is particularly highly regarded in French-speaking Switzerland and among women and young people under the age of 30. "Twint is seen as an absolute top company that offers better services than other companies in the sector and stands out positively," explains Anja Reimer from NIQ GfK. "No other company enjoys such strong identification among the Swiss population."

Twint CMO Jens Plath is delighted with the result: "The trust of our more than five million users is of central importance to us. We are particularly pleased to be recognized together with other Swiss Love Brands."

Changes in the ranking

Zweifel remains in second place, scoring particularly highly in German-speaking Switzerland and among younger consumers. Ricola rises to third place, pushing Migros down to fourth place. Lindt & Sprüngli moves up four places to fifth place, followed by Coop, which climbs two places and - like Zweifel - is particularly popular with young consumers.

Digitec Galaxus makes it into the top 10 for the first time after the company is now one of the 50 most important Swiss companies due to increased awareness. The cantonal banks moved up five places to eighth place, while SBB dropped four places to ninth - although it received the best rating in terms of environmental sustainability. Geberit remains unchanged in tenth place.

Demographic differences in the ranking

The results show clear regional and demographic differences. In French-speaking Switzerland, Migros is in second place, followed by Lindt & Sprüngli. Rolex, Nespresso and Logitech are among the ten most valued companies here.

Among women, Migros is just ahead of Ricola in third place, while Landi is also in the top 10. The men rate Ricola best, followed by Zweifel and Migros. Mobiliar and Logitech are among the most highly rated companies.

In terms of age, Twint clearly leads the ranking for young people under 30, followed by Zweifel, Coop and Migros. Ricola, Zweifel and Lindt & Sprüngli occupy the top three places among the over-50s.

Rega dominates the NPO ranking for the eighth time in a row

Swiss Air-Rescue Rega remains the undisputed leader among non-profit organizations. "This award is thanks to our employees, who give their all around the clock to help people in distress," says Rega CEO Ernst Kohler.

The Swiss Paraplegic Foundation and the Swiss Red Cross follow in second and third place. They are followed by Médecins Sans Frontières, Spitex Switzerland, Fairtrade Max Havelaar and WWF Switzerland, which moved up three positions. The Cancer League, Swiss Mountain Aid and Bio Suisse complete the top 10.

The NIQ GfK Business Reflector measures the reputation of the 50 leading Swiss companies and 20 best-known non-profit organizations. The representative survey is based on 3,800 interviews conducted between mid-January and mid-February 2025. The aim of the study is to provide precise reputation monitoring for companies and NPOs.