Impact analysis of the Second Homes Act: Analysis of the business impacts

Brugger + Partner, together with the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, evaluated the effects of the Second Homes Act (SHA) from a business perspective on behalf of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). The evaluation aimed to analyse the business impacts of the SHA and, if necessary, recommend adjustments to the law or accompanying measures to mitigate adverse effects on businesses. The analysis employed an impact model with seven hypotheses, tested using both quantitative and qualitative methods. These included evaluations of existing data, standardised surveys, and interviews conducted as part of eleven case studies. Spatial analysis distinguished between SHA and non-SHA municipalities in the Alpine region and the Jura Arc, with SHA municipalities further categorised into three types: tourism municipalities with high-margin (hotspot), average (middle), and negligible (periphery) second-home business activity. The evaluation found that the impacts of the SHA, particularly in the accommodation and construction industries, are likely to become more pronounced in the coming years. In the accommodation industry, these impacts are expected due to changes in financing conditions, while in the construction and real estate industries, they are anticipated due to declining construction volumes.