Tourism reins in plans to grow visitor market

Published today by Economic Development, Guernsey Tourism’s plan for 2020-2025 aims to improve local visitor numbers through a number of developments, including supporting a runway extension.

It also sets a deadline of 14 August 2021 to agree an extension of the Condor operating agreement, with the threat of bringing in an alternative provider to sail from 14 August 2024 if a deal is not achievable.

Under the previous Guernsey Tourism Strategic Plan for 2015-2025, growth targets had been 3% a year for total visitors, excluding cruise and yacht numbers, but they have actually fallen by 10% until 2018 from 310,000 to 280,000.

Now the plan is to include cruise and yachtsmen in the target, with growth objectives of no more than 1% a year, which is up to 4,200 people.

Marketing and tourism director Mike Hopkins said improving visitor numbers to the island could not be achieved overnight.

‘A significant amount of progress has been achieved by the committee and its industry partners over the past, at times, very challenging five years,’ he said.

‘Addressing and turning around over 20 years of consistent visitor decline was never going to be easy or achieved overnight. However, over the past five years we have seen the excellent progress made help deliver the early signs of visitor growth, especially for the high value staying leisure visitor market.’

Reasons given in the report for not hitting the growth target include the loss of a substantial part of the day visitor market – 20,000 by sea as a result of the introduction of the Condor Liberation and its single rotation and a schedule that does not allow for a full day visit to the island.

A further 13,000 loss was attributed to air fare levels.

However, visits to the island from cruise passengers saw a growth of 13% to 121,000 from 107,000 in 2014.

The plan suggests that confirming the business case for the extension of the runway could have a significant bearing on the size and profile of the potential visitor market that can be targeted in the future by allowing, for example, jets used by low cost airlines to operate to Guernsey.

Economic Development’s Deputy Joe Mooney said the business case for the runway needed to be looked at.

‘To help determine the future shape of, and the growth potential for the visitor market it is essential that the question over the possible extension of the airport runway is answered,’ he said.

‘One of the priority action plans detailed in the 10-point plan is to complete and confirm the business case for the extension of the runway, and I am pleased to say that this work is now taking place.’

The 10 point plan for 2020-2025 identifies further key areas of focus necessary over the next five years and includes securing and maintaining the Heathrow service, although it has been announced already that it will not operate this summer, and putting into place an air link with France by the summer.

The committee has also given backing to a Victor Hugo centre, investing in more events associated with the author and giving more exposure to key sites on the island to project its Anglo French heritage, which they say has will be of interest to the French, UK and US markets.

There is also a proposal within the plan to review the population management and immigration legislation and policies that could potentially impact the ability of the tourism and hospitality sector to successfully recruit and retain both seasonal and permanent staff members.

. The Guernsey tourism ten point plan 2020-2025 document is available to download from the States of Guernsey website at www.gov.gg/tourism