GSTA A D PA LACE SW ITZER LAN D
The People of Gstaad Back to my Roots
Meet Martin Buri, 51. As the owner of Buri Limousine AG in Gstaad, Martin Buri knows the region very well. 18 years ago, the former banker brought the comfort of business air travel onto the local roads – with great success.
Can you tell us more about yourself? My name is Martin Buri; I’m 51 years young and was born in Saanen. I’m married, am blessed with two children and have been self-employed with Buri Limousine AG for 18 years. Originally, I have been trained as a banker. What was your childhood dream job? I wanted to be an architect and design buildings. Instead, I got my first professional training at a Swiss bank. What brought you to Gstaad? Even though I was born in Saanen, I grew up in Feutersoey. My father is a local as well; my mother came originally from the Emmental valley. After various professional activities outside the Saanenland and several international travels, especially in South America, I came – quite literally – back to my roots. What does Gstaad mean to you? A lot! Gstaad is home; it’s where I have my family and friends. It’s not only a place to live and work but a stunningly beautiful and pristine region, too. I feel grateful to be here every day. How has Gstaad changed in recent years? Many new developments have been built. At the same time, the number of tourists and guests has increased. The quality of life became even higher; successful new events have popped up in recent years. What made you set up a limousine service in Gstaad? I took over my parents’ taxi business in 2003. At the time, I had just worked as a flight attendant for Swissair. My idea was to bring the comfort of business class travel from the air onto the road. I started out with just three vehicles; now we’re at 18. If you had one wish for Gstaad, what would it be? A beautiful, big lake, like they have in the Engadin! And make the mountains 500 metres higher for better skiing conditions, please.
Palacestrasse 28 • 3780 Gstaad • Phone: +41 33 748 50 00 • info@palace.ch • palace.ch