A delegation of Swiss government ministers visited Beijing last month to make an official request for ADS to the Chinese government, revealed Switzerland Tourism director for Asia Andreas Wieland.
The visit coincided with the grand opening of a Switzerland Tourism office in Beijing. Switzerland is the first European country to open a tourism representative office in the mainland.
Wieland said talks had been stalled because China wanted to grant ADS to approximately seven European countries at the same time.
"The problem is, because of the European Community, it is difficult to know who to negotiate with. We have requested they grant ADS to Switzerland as a test case before granting the status to any other European countries," said Wieland.
"There's a good chance it will be granted next year," he said. Next year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and China.
Wieland said ADS would allow Switzerland to promote its tourism products in China. He said a second tourism office would be opened in Shanghai after ADS was granted.
Mainland Chinese visitors spent 20,000 room nights in Switzerland in 1998. Figures up to the end of September this year show an increase up to 50,000 room nights. Wieland expects 100,000 room nights to be taken by Chinese visitors next year and up to 400,000 in the first year of ADS.
He said because the Chinese at the moment only opt for a very short stay in Switzerland the room nights were approximately the same as the number of Chinese arrivals.
Wieland was not concerned about illegal immigration. "There is no network for them in Switzerland, we have no Chinatown, there are language difficulties, they would not survive in Switzerland."