Asian tourists flock to Switzerland to make their dreams come true.

More and more Asian tourists are flocking to Iselwlad village to visit the filming location of the popular South Korean drama "Crash Landing on You".

"A dream come true," said Filipino tourist Isabel Palijon, gazing at the wooden pier surrounded by the turquoise waters of a Swiss lake, with the towering Alps in the background. Finally, she had set foot in her dream destination after watching the Korean drama "Crash Landing on You."

Palijon isn't the only tourist to say that. Since the movie... After the broadcast, the pier in the village of Iselwlad became famous and attracted many Asian tourists . In the film, the male lead was seen playing the piano on this wooden pier.

A Chinese tourist takes a photo at the pier where the drama "Crash Landing on You" was filmed. In the distance, a cruise ship full of passengers is preparing to dock. Photo: *EPA*

Jiah Hni Gwee, 35, from Malaysia, gazed at the spot where the guitar was once placed on the pier in the film, speaking of her dream that one day someone would sit there and play the guitar for her. "That would be wonderful and romantic," the tourist said.

Gwee was among dozens of tourists strolling along the lake's edge on a sunny June day. Nearby, a large boat flying the Swiss flag was docking, packed with visitors.

A survey by the South Korean Ministry of Culture showed that "Crash Landing on You" was the second most popular South Korean drama with international audiences in 2021, after "Squid Game." The show's success caused Iseltwald a headache, especially from 2022 onwards, when travel restrictions in most Asian countries were lifted.

Titia Weiland, head of the Swiss tourism office, said the number of visitors has exploded. It's difficult to count precisely, but estimates suggest a ratio of 1,000 visitors per resident.

Titia said the villagers were "very happy to welcome so many tourists," but admitted they were also overwhelmed by the large number. In the summer of 2022, about 20 large cars carrying tourists arrived in the village each day, causing traffic congestion and sometimes blocking the road into the village. The villagers also complained that tourists only flocked to the wooden pier to take pictures and then left, leaving behind "a mess and spending very little money."

An aerial view of the village of Iselwlad. Photo: AFP — An aerial view of the village of Iselwlad. Photo: *AFP*

To address this, since May 2023, only pre-booked and paid parking vehicles have been allowed entry. Local authorities have also installed turnstiles at the pier. Visitors wishing to enter to take photos must pay a fee of $5.50 USD. Sonja Hornung, manager of the Strand Hotel overlooking the famous pier, said the measures have brought about a positive change. "Last year it was terrible (too many people crowding the pier to take photos), but this year it's much better," she said.

Asian tourists flock to the village. Photo: AFP — Asian tourists flock to the village. Photo: *AFP*

But the fee for taking photos has confused many tourists. Florita Lichtensteineiger, a 64-year-old Filipino living in Switzerland, exclaimed in surprise when she learned she had to pay. She brought a relative here to take photos, bought a ticket for them, but didn't go along because she had been here at least 10 times already. "All my guests want to come here," Lichtensteineiger said.

Park Na Yeon, 21, from South Korea, said that paying $5.50 to buy a ticket to go through the turnstile and take photos was "not worth it." However, many locals believe it's a practical action because the government will use the money to maintain the dock, making it safer.

"Iseldwald is like paradise on earth. We want to protect it," said Titia Weiland.

( By Anh Minh , according to SCMP )

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