Roger Federer desires Oscar for acting in a commercial with Robert de Niro

For almost 20 years, Roger Federer has been the synonym for Switzerland, representing his small but beautiful European country as the best ambassador.

Famous for its wildlife and beautiful nature, Switzerland has been one of the most desired tourist destinations for those who like winter wonderlands and the unique summer experience. Because of the pandemic, the Swiss hotel sector recorded a 40% drop in overnight visits in 2020 in comparison to 2019. To help his country, Federer has begun a long-term collaboration with Switzerland Tourism to promote its "energizing nature" and attract foreign visitors.

Communication activities started in April, focusing on European cities, followed by the USA and the Asia Pacific. In the newest commercial, Federer spoke to Robert de Niro and tried to bring him to Switzerland. The famous actor informed Federer that he has seen the Switzerland Tourism ad film that the Swiss maestro wants him to do. Unlike Roger's predictions, de Niro said that he didn't like the video, as it misses the drama and excitement that big towns bring, advising Roger to call Tom Hanks instead.

"I think many people underestimate the mountains as a good place to go [in the summer]. I live in the mountains so I love the summer as much as I love the winters, because we have [something like] 65,000 kilometers of hiking trails in Switzerland and it's also amazing for biking.

We're also very proud of our lakes and rivers. I think Ticino, the Italian-speaking part, lends itself very well for a beautiful summer trip. A lot of people from the Swiss-German part travel down to the Italian-speaking part because it's really a hidden gem. People know about it here in Switzerland, but not on a worldwide level.

I once heard a rumor—I don't know if it's true—that wherever you stand in Switzerland, you're within 10 minutes of a lake, so there is always a place where you can cool off or take a dip. Lake Lucerne is beautiful, and it's probably overall my favorite bigger lake in Switzerland. And Bodensee, which is Lake Constance, in the north, where my wife actually grew up, has some beautiful spots. And then of course, some of my favorites are mountain lakes, which are obviously very cold but they are so beautiful to look at. Those are the ones that get put on postcards. I could rave about hiking and mountains a lot, but I really think our little cities are incredibly cute. People underestimate how easy and accessible they all are. Visiting Swiss cities is always a joy as well," Roger Federer said.