Switzerland`s purported move to shift the country`s National Day to tennis great Roger Federer`s birthday was a hoax spread by Swiss parliamentarians as an April Fool`s Day prank, Swiss Tourism (ST) said in a statement on Friday.

"As part of the hoax, Councillor Nicolo Paganini (Die Mitte, SG), President of the Swiss Tourism Federation along with other members of the Swiss Parliament, announced that they will launch an urgent parliamentary resolution during the extraordinary parliamentary session in May proposing that the Swiss national holiday on 1 August be moved to Federer`s birthday on 8 August as a gesture to thank him for his efforts to promote tourism in Switzerland," said ST.