Until 2020, everything in the Swiss adult entertainment sector seemed relatively stable. Clubs were operating, guests were coming, the balance between supply and demand worked – quiet, discreet, lucrative. But then came Corona. And nothing has been the same since.
Phase 1: The Corona Collapse
With the first lockdown, many adult entertainment businesses came to a complete standstill overnight. Sauna clubs had to close, sex workers lost their income, support was scarce. The pandemic meant not only loss of earnings, but for many the start of a financial crisis.
Many women couldn’t leave Switzerland – others couldn’t enter. Even after the first easing of restrictions, not everyone returned: uncertainty, lost income, and health concerns caused a lasting rupture.
Phase 2: Shift to the Internet
With physical invisibility came the digital boom:
Escort portals, OnlyFans, Telegram, encrypted private contacts – the adult entertainment business increasingly moved online. For clubs, this was a shock: the competition was suddenly everywhere and barely traceable.
Many guests realized: it works without a club too.
And many providers found: online is more flexible, but not necessarily safer.
Phase 3: After the Pandemic Came the Next Blows
Barely over the pandemic, the next global shocks followed:
- Inflation from rising energy prices
- War in Ukraine and worldwide uncertainties
- Cost of living at record levels
These developments hit the red-light district with full force:
- Rents rose, operating costs exploded
- Marketing became more expensive – visibility costs money
- Even clients themselves felt the crisis: less money, less spending on „luxuries“
Phase 4: Dumping Prices & Price War – the Market Tips
In this tense situation, some clubs began playing with prices.
What used to cost 150–200 CHF was suddenly offered for 100 CHF or less – including entry, companion, service, food, drinks. A race to the bottom began.
Some operators accused others of price fixing and unfair competition – so much so that even the Swiss Competition Commission Weko got involved.
What sounds like a customer bonus is actually dangerous:
- Quality suffers
- Providers earn less
- The market becomes unstable
- And in the end, everyone loses
Between Regulation, Reality and Resignation
International, Switzerland is considered a pioneer in regulated sex work – but regulation alone isn’t enough when the foundation is crumbling.
Without economic stability, fair prices, and real prospects, the adult entertainment industry will:
- be displaced (by online)
- be undermined (by dumping)
- be silenced (from shame & politics)
Conclusion: The Sector is Changing – Whether We Want It To or Not
It’s no longer the world before Corona. And it’s not the world after Corona either.
It’s a new era, with new challenges – and old recipes no longer work.
Whoever wants to preserve the adult entertainment industry needs:
- Realistic prices
- Honest regulation
- Fair competition
- And above all: an awareness that this industry too is part of our society.