Geneva Tourism & Commerce has appointed The Communication Group as its first UK public relations consultancy to promote the iconic Swiss city as a leading luxury destination in the short-haul leisure market.

Located at the crossroads of Western Europe – barely 90 minutes from the heart of the City of London – and home to a host of leading luxury hotels and restaurants, Geneva is perfectly placed to welcome the most discerning short-break holidaymakers.

And with almost half of the hotels in the city four or five star - the majority offering stunning waterside views of Lake Geneva (Western Europe’s largest lake) – and over 50 gourmet restaurants to choose from, guests can expect the best from their stay.

Geneva is recognised internationally as a centre of excellence and celebrated as the birthplace of the highly regarded Swiss watch making industry.

Today, it remains home to leading watch brands, including the internationally renowned Rolex, Vacheron-Constantin and Patek Phillipe, who champion craftsmanship from their base in the city.

But the association with luxury doesn’t end there and visitors are invited to discover an ever-increasing number of fine jewellery houses – there are over 80 watch and jewellery boutiques on the Rue du Rhône alone – as well as hand-rolled cigars, leading auction houses and master chocolatiers making it the perfect destination for collectors and connoisseurs.

As it looks to reinforce its position in the short-haul leisure market, Geneva will be promoting a busy calendar of festivals and attractions that include the prestigious International Motor Show, its annual Geneva Festival (which includes a dazzling fireworks display) and the ever-popular Montreux Jazz Festival.

For those looking to venture further afield, however, Geneva remains a compelling choice – the dizzy peak of Mont Blanc in the Jura mountains can be seen from the historic heart of the city and it is just over an hour from the popular Swiss ski slopes in Chamonix making it an ideal dual-centre holiday destination for people looking to hit the slopes this Spring.

Philippe Vignon, managing director of Geneva Tourism & Conventions comments, said: “Geneva offers a compelling proposition for visitors who enjoy the finer things in life – be it fine food and wine, shopping, spas or simply soaking up the atmosphere of one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities.

“With almost 400 flights a week from the UK, we are keen to promote our offering to British audiences and with a busy calendar of events and attractions scheduled for 2012, there is something to suit all tastes.

“We are delighted to be working with The Communication Group plc who are perfectly placed to disseminate our proposition to these audiences and reinforce Geneva’s position on the world stage.”

The team will be headed up by Alice Hart, a Director at The Communication Group.