The new numbers should be encouraging for Swiss Olympic officials who have been conducting a feasibility study over the summer and plan to decide whether to move forward with the project as early as this month.

In 2018 almost 54 per cent of residents across the Canton of Valais voted against a funding proposal for bidding for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Sion, halting the project in its tracks.

In 2013, almost 53 per cent voted against a Davos-St. Moritz bid, stopping the potential project to bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics before it could even begin.

The key to the change in attitudes is the promise to spread the Games across Switzerland and use existing facilities as much as possible.

The survey, published in the newspaper Tages-Anzeiger, will also be a relief to the Swiss-based International Olympic Committee (IOC), who are struggling to find a host city.

Only on Friday (October 6), Japanese city Sapporo, considered the long-time front runner to be awarded the Winter Olympics, confirmed it was abandoning their bid after public support haemorrhaged due to a corruption scandal linked to Tokyo 2020.

Earlier proposals from Vancouver and Barcelona floundered due to opposition among local citizens.

In this latest Swiss survey conducted on September 19 and 20, a total of 29,081 people answered "yes" or "probably yes" when asked if they would support a bid.

A total of 41 per cent said "no" or "probably no".

The most enthusiastic age group was the 18 to 34 with 66 per cent, while only 48 per cent of those over 65 supported it.

"These survey results confirm that our Olympic plans are heading in the right direction," Swiss Olympic spokesman Alexander Wäfler told Tages-Anzeiger.

"Of course, we are aware that in the end the mood of the population depends on how the Olympic Games should take place in detail."

The results of the feasibility study are set to be presented to the Swiss Olympic Executive Board later this month.

Once discussions have been held with the Swiss Sport Parliament, a formal decision on whether to submit a bid will be taken.

It remains possible that a bid for the 2034 Winter Olympics would be a preference, which would pit Switzerland against Salt Lake City.

The United States city, which hosted the Winter Olympics in 2002, has made no secret of the fact that is the event it is targeting to avoid a clash with the 2028 Summer Games, which Los Angeles is hosting.

Officials in the American city have said they would be willing to step in for 2030, though, if there is no other viable alternative.

The IOC was originally due to choose a host city for 2030 at its Session in Mumbai this month but have now delayed a decision.

They have not made public any official timeline but hope to approve candidates for targeted dialogue in early December.

Last year the IOC Future Host Commission for the Winter Games was asked to explore the impact of climate change on the Olympics and whether a permanent pool of rotating hosts and a possible 2030/2034 double allocation should be awarded.

An update could be provided at the IOC Executive Board meeting, due to take place this Thursday and Friday (October 12 and 13) in Mumbai before the Session.

Other potential bidders are Stockholm, the Swedish capital defeated for the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games by Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, and French regions Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes' and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.