Innovation With KICKBOX at Switzerland Tourism

'Time will tell if all the innovative ideas will be feasible,' says Maria Sägesser, Head of Product Development and Innovation at Switzerland Tourism – Switzerland’s national tourism organization with approximately 240 employees, half of them spread all over the world across more than 22 different markets.

Particularly during these unprecedented times of the pandemic, ideas are welcomed with open arms. The tourists’ and travelers’ demands have changed – not only because of COVID-19: people are increasingly seeking more sustainable and environmentally-friendly products. Today's offerings must meet environmentally sustainable standards – this has become a paramount expectation.

A Wealth of Ideas 

Due to the downturns which the tourism industry is experiencing as a result of the worldwide pandemic, Switzerland Tourism recently introduced the KICKBOX Intrapreneurship program. Only a year into the program, and things are looking promising for the the organization.

So far, a number of fascinating ideas have already surfaced, including the creation of an eco-friendly and sustainable alternative to cruise ships: a train hotel; or a tenable 'miles and more' program for local public transport. Another innovative idea is to establish the world’s biggest skiing region – spanning across the entirety of Switzerland – with a single ski pass for the whole country. These are only a few of more than a dozen ideas which are currently either in the RedBox or already in the BlueBox stage.

Maria adds: 'We also launched a sustainability campaign – in cooperation with other enterprises of the public service – and solicited project ideas that demonstrate how sustainability can be integrated into Swiss public transportation.'

What intrigues Maria Sägesser the most is the program's intersectoral nature, which allows employees to venture beyond their usual responsibilities and innovate across various domains. For instance, someone from the IT department coming up with a culinary concept; or an event organizer envisioning groundbreaking ideas for accessible tourism.

Ready-to-use Solution 

The KICKBOX program is designed to facilitate bottom-up innovation across organizations. It is based on a methodology used by over 1000 companies and can be employed within a matter of weeks.

Maria Sägesser adds: 'We’ve received very positive feedback from our innovators (also called Kickboxers). So, for me, the program is absolutely worth giving a try. Firstly, on the financial side – developing such an innovation program requires both time and money, and the KICKBOX program is basically an off-the-shelf solution. And secondly, I consider it a chance to continue professional development with additional value. The employees gain access to many different fields of knowledge. They’re part of an important process: they learn how to validate their own ideas and have to find out during the process if these are feasible or not. '

Change of Mentality 

While the KICKBOX program aims to drive financial ROI, the program also contributes significantly to promoting cultural change in the business. 

Maria adds: 'The KICKBOX program has a positive business impact: it contributes to a cultural transformation. The people’s mentality is about to change. What I like most about it is the 'just-do-it-mentality'. You hand in an idea and see what happens. The program says: don’t be afraid of the process. Go ahead and see what happens. And what I even appreciate more is the fact that the KICKBOX program teaches that it is okay to stop an idea if it doesn’t work out. This grows an entirely new mentality. Of course, there are also employees who feel pressured. They ask, ‘Why should we do it? What’s in for us?’ As long as they can’t see some tangible results, they question the bids for the program. But for me, it’s not only about the results. It’s also about the fact that everyone involved in these processes is constantly learning.'

Good Things are Worth Waiting for 

While Switzerland Tourism established the KICKBOX program just a year ago,  Maria Sägesser knows that it is going to take commitment and dedication to ensure that employees actively engage with the program. 

'The KICKBOX program is not a lock. It will be hard work to make sure that people will not forget the program during their daily routine. This will be the biggest challenge. Because even if you’ve got a fantastic idea, you won’t be able to delegate all your tasks and just focus on the new idea. It requires some extra effort – despite the time voucher. And we all know that it takes some time to develop good ideas.'

The journey of KICKBOX at Switzerland Tourism is only starting, and there is much to look forward to as the program is set to grow and develop even further. The early successes and intriguing ideas already in the pipeline signal a wave of innovation. As Maria Sägesser aptly puts it, 'the journey is the reward,' and the path ahead is filled with opportunities to innovate, learn, and excel.