The Swiss festival landscape
What takes place when and where - and how can you actually pay on site? An interesting look at the Swiss festival landscape. Exciting for visitors as an event calendar, map and overview of payment options. For organizers, a decision-making aid with lots of information on payment systems and options. A whitepaper, event calendar and map from wallee & Discover Global Network.
It's summer 2023, the pandemic is over, the weather is perfect: the Swiss are going out. All over the country, people are partying and dancing at the moment... the festival season is in full swing. Switzerland is home to first-class events. As many as in hardly any other country. From popular city festivals, to local raves, to mega events that are among the biggest festivals in the world, there are events for every (music) taste.
The Swiss payment provider wallee, together with Discover Global Network, wanted to know: Which popular and large (music) festivals are there, where and when do they take place? And also what payment options are actually offered, whether festivals already count as a "cashless society" and what opportunities and challenges visitors and organizers face when paying.
There is much on offer
wallee, the #homeofpayments and the global payment brand Discover Global Network have taken a look at the Swiss festival landscape. The result is an event calendar with an overview of 29 major and popular festivals, including a descriptive map. Important events from April to September can be seen at a glance. What, when and where... but also whether "cash" or "cashless" applies. An interesting look at the Swiss festival landscape for visitors and organizers.
Festivals - a "cashless society"?
The pandemic of the last few years has changed a lot. It has definitely strengthened one trend: cashless payment. Globally, for example, the share of transactions carried out on site (POS) with cash fell from 27% in 2018 to 16% in 2022 and is likely to fall to below 10% as early as 20261. In Switzerland, the use of cash has halved from 70% share for everyday or irregular payments from 2017 to about 33% in 20222. In terms of transaction value, debit card payments have already overtaken cash in recent years3. According to the Swiss National Bank's Payment Survey 2022, 93% of respondents own a debit card, and in terms of ownership of a payment app, the proportion has increased more than sixfold in just a few years. Among 15- to 34-year-olds, this share is already over 80%3. In addition, 75% state that they always or usually use the contactless function when paying by card.
So it's clear that Switzerland is already predominantly cashless. But what about at events and festivals? Have the organizers responded to the preferences of the population?
Payment options at events
Of the 29 festivals surveyed, 18 communicate on their websites that they also offer cashless payment options (as of 05/31/2023). 11 festivals even state that they are "cashless only", i.e. that they only accept card payments or other digital payment methods4. So let's keep in mind: Almost two thirds of the festivals already offer "Cashless" as an option, almost 40% even offer cashless payment options only.
For visitors, the question is how to pay at the festival of choice, and organizers have to decide on a suitable system. Is there even a "perfect" system? In the whitepaper "Swiss festival landscape", wallee and Discover Global Network show the different options. From using cash, to prepaid systems, such as own festival currencies, "festival wristbands" or prepaid cards, to the different options of offering "cashless". For organizers, the choice of which system is ideal depends on the many respective advantages and disadvantages. For visitors, on the other hand, the key is to quickly see how payment can be made. In the whitepaper from wallee and Discover Global Network, you'll find both: weighing the factors for organizers and an overview of events for festival-goers.
Whitepaper, event calendar, map... download now
Download the whole whitepaper. This is possible per click without providing any data. Now available in English and German.
More options
Are you interested in modern payment terminals
and the possibilities of offering "cashless" at your event?
Ask about the terminal special offer for events.
You would like to enter your event on the "Swiss Festival Landscape" 2024?
Or you need the map as a high-resolution file? (Press inquiries)
Please contact by mail:
Wallee Group AG, Matteo Kleiber-Wurm, Head of Marketing
matteo.kleiber-wurm@wallee.com
Modern payment processing with Wallee Group AG
walleeis your #homeofpayments. Modern payment processing based on an intelligent cloud solution across all channels: In e-commerce, in-store and mobile with wallee terminals or via vending machines. With wallee, all payment streams flow together on one platform and can be easily managed and integrated into your systems. The possibilities of the wallee omnichannel cloud solution in combination with app-enabled terminals of the latest generation offer restaurateurs and event organizers numerous advantages. Especially in wallee's home market of Switzerland, many events are therefore already relying on wallee today.
You can find out more about this and wallee at wallee.com
Discover® Global Network
Global Network, Discover Financial Services' global payments brand, processes millions of card transactions every day. With industry expertise, innovative technology and a closed-loop infrastructure, Discover Global Network provides effective, customized solutions that evolve along with changing needs. Discover Global Network maintains alliances with more than 25 payment networks around the world and is led by three Discover companies: Discover Network, with millions of retail stores and cash machines; PULSE®, one of the leading ATM/debit networks; and Diners Club International®, a global payments network with acceptance in over 200 countries and regions.
For more information, visit DiscoverGlobalNetwork.com.
