Discover Germany | Special Theme | Successful Start-ups, Switzerland
All aboard for the fastest boat adventure in the Alps Switzerland’s Interlaken region is well known as a popular outdoor and adventure sports mecca and attracts millions of visitors every year. Although, until two years ago, one thing was missing: a 2-in-1 boat sightseeing tour and adventure ride known as JETBOAT Interlaken.
The season for JETBOAT Interlaken runs from mid-April to the end of October. A tour can be booked via your travel operator, the company’s website, at the reception of your local hotel or by phone.
TEXT: SONJA IRANI I PHOTOS: STEFAN SCHLUMPF
www.jetboat.ch “Our jetboat tour is an activity for all ages,” says Simon Hirter, one of two long-time friends who founded Switzerland’s first jetboat company in the picturesque town of Bönigen back in 2014. “Our goal was to show our guests the breath-taking beauty of Lake Brienz and the Jungfrau region, combine this with a fun ride and share some interesting facts about the region’s rich history through our captain’s commentary.” Of course, safety is important, too. “Our captains are all certified boat drivers who have to take part in our internal training courses as well as ongoing trainings.” Although, Hirter admits that starting out was not easy: “In the beginning, we faced enormous opposition from both political and social adversaries in the region. However, we quickly established ourselves by 94 | Issue 46 | January 2017
proving that we are a professional, honest and innovative company.” This is also reflected in the fact that, after two years, the traditional rail and transit organisation BLS jointed JETBOAT Interlaken as a minority shareholder. “This has really given our business a push,” says Hirter. “After all, BLS has been operating a successful cruising business on the lakes for over 175 years.” 2016 saw a major increase in company and group bookings from Swiss customers, but also adventure-seeking sightseers from countries such as India and the Gulf States. Now that the brand is well established, 2017 will be a year of “fine tuning”. Particularly the newly launched ‘JETBOAT Cruise’, a combination of a traditional boat tour and the speedy jetboats, is sure to give the company a boost.