EURO 2008 INFO

Not always easy for tourists visiting Berne to make themselves understood in English.
In a hundred days, the EURO 2008 will double and even triple the crowd in the capital férdérale. However, the linguistic preparation is minimized.

"Here we are in Bern, we speak German," was told recently a tourist who asked in English to a bus driver stop nearest to the Bear Pit. Other drivers, more helpful, making the feet and hands to put the visitors on the right road, has been a journalist for ATS. They do not hesitate to get out of their vehicle and to indicate the direction by big gestures.

If 66% of Swiss alémaniques say could have a conversation in English with 43% of Romands, according to a study representative of the Federal Office of Statistics (OFS), these figures should be interpreted with caution. The difference between town and country is not taken into account, "says Jean-Christophe Zuchuat of the SFO. Understand: the cosmopolitan Zurich traces the average German.

Measures minimum

Still, in a hundred days, on June 7, 2008, will be kicked off of the European Football Championship on the lawn in Switzerland and Austria. The third biggest sporting event in the world will attract 400 to 500000 visitors in the host cities of Basel, Bern, Geneva and Zurich, Switzerland Tourism believes.

The federal capital, which hosted in June 2007 more than 35,000 foreign tourists will see double, maybe even triple the crowd at the three matches it will host. The English language skills of the Bernese will be more than ever tested. However, an update in depth is not envisaged.

The campaign preparation for Euro 08 Berne Tourism entitled "Welcome to Bern" provides an awareness of the many languages of the teams that will play in Bern, said Eliane Krebs, head of the project. However, it is limited to the distribution of a spreadsheet summarizing the key phrases host Dutch, french, Italian and Romanian.

The campaign will target companies that will benefit from direct contact with supporters, as public transport, taxis and hotels. The signatories are committed to providing visitors to the Euro 08 a quality service with the necessary tools available for the occasion by Bern Tourism. In return, they will receive a quality mark.

Drivers overloaded

Public transport Berner, which are involved in "Welcome to Bern," did not intend to take English courses to their employees. "Our drivers are already stretched with other courses. We can not charge more, "defends the spokesman Bernmobil Annegret Hewlett.

And the English fans who do not find the path to the Stade de Suisse? As part of "Welcome to Bern, employees Bernmobil follow courses in kindness. A lack of linguistic knowledge, the driver allergic to keep foreign languages at least a smile.

Students to the rescue

Same story in department stores. Shops of Wankdorf Center, located under the stadium, did not provide specific measures language other than those proposed by "Welcome to Bern." The mall will be closed on match days for security reasons, "says its director Peter Baumgartner.

Town, the department store Loeb took stock of language skills available within its ranks, explains the personnel Beatrice Landolt. They can be arranged according to need. It is also possible to hire students for the time of Euro 08, she adds, especially if the opening hours are extended.

At Globus is counting on the skills of the heads of department, "says a spokesman. The chain has an international clientele, knowledge of English are increasingly playing a role in recruitment, he says.

Rest manual for guests from Switzerland Tourism. The passport-sized guide contains a glossary language that could be used to the minimum training volunteers and employees of the branches in contact with supporters.