Dark skies bright for tourism

JUST as was said earlier this week, the news that Sark has become the world's first dark sky island could well provide a welcome boost to the island's tourism industry.

While the way the news was disseminated left an awful lot to be desired - Paul Williams, the chairman of the Agriculture Committee (which has political responsibility for the exercise) said that he was under 'firm' instructions not to talk to anyone from the media until after The Guardian newspaper had published the news exclusively - it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realise the potential benefit to the island.

It is to be hoped that appropriate use will be made of this accolade - better use, one hopes, than has ever been made of previous bits of excellent news such as Martin Clunes's comments when he heaped praise on Sark to what seemed to be every media outlet that would listen after he obtained his carriage driver's licence while filming an acclaimed documentary here.

I say that because a few minutes ago, I looked at the island's tourism website and found the story (after a bit of looking, I have to say) somewhat buried at the end of a list - just under a pre-write for Sark's Grand Autumn Flower and Produce Show at the end of August - whereas in my humble opinion it should have been in a much more prominent position and there for all to see as soon as anyone clicked on the website.

Heaven knows, we seem to get enough less-than-favourable publicity so that makes it even more important that we should shout it from the rooftops when a bit of good news - and the dark sky accolade is excellent news - comes trundling along.

Specialist tourism is an increasingly important part of every tourism economy's portfolio and while we in Sark will remain heavily dependent on the bread and butter money brought in by day trippers, the investment programme carried out in recent times by stakeholders in the industry means that the island is well placed to cater for staying visitors in all income brackets.

As has been reported, astronomy is becoming increasingly popular and it's now official that Sark is one of the best places anywhere from which to enjoy gazing at the night skies. Mind you, as one Sarkee pointed out to me earlier this week, he's been coming across people doing that for years, although he did add as an aside that most of them seemed to be not that far from a bar and were just lying there oblivious to all around them.

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I referred a couple of weeks ago to Sark Estate Management and Sark Shipping doing a deal to use the shipping company's Sark Viking cargo vessel to ship in freight from France while the Brecqhou Warrior is having things done to it.

I remarked at the time that when the companies were allowed to negotiate freely between themselves - without political interference - then a deal could be struck. I have since been taken to task, ever so politely, I have to say, by the newly-elected chairman of the Shipping Committee, Andy Cook (pictured) . He told me that had it not been for the Shipping Committee doing the groundwork, including legislation approved by Chief Pleas last year, then Sark Shipping would not have been in a position to strike the deal with SEM.

It is a point of view which differs from mine but I am happy to put it, just as has been demonstrated in the past - I'm willing to look again at any issue raised in this column. That's why, for more than nine years, my email address has been published every week specifically inviting such comment.

* That email address is fallesark@sark.net