Tourism and woodcarving are the main activities. The Cantonal Woodcarving School established in 1862 is well-known and respected in the trade.
In this town is where the firm L�tscher makes the only genuine Swiss cuckoo clocks in existence today. All of the initial steps involved in building these clocks are done in its woodworking facility in Brienz, the rest of the manufacturing process continues in Zurich where the timepieces are assembled, checked and adjusted.
Brienz has an unemployment rate of 2.43%. As of 2005, there were 149 people employed in the primary economic sector and about 42 businesses involved in this sector. 458 people are employed in the secondary sector and there are 54 businesses in this sector. 877 people are employed in the tertiary sector, with 146 businesses in this sector
