Guernsey Press

Petit Train to take on staff

PEOPLE working in the island’s tourism sector have said they are ‘pleasantly surprised’ by the signs of the return of cruise liners.

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Petit Train owner Andy Furniss. (30511309)

At the height of the pandemic there were fears the cruise industry would be crippled long term, but vaccinations and testing capabilities appear to have won back the trust of passengers.

There are 86 cruise ship visits expected this year, which is an increase on 2019, which was the last time there was a full season.

Andy Furniss, owner of Le Petit Train, has also been its driver, mechanic, managing director and sales executive over the last couple of years.

Yesterday he was beaming with optimism as he freshened up the train with a new lick of paint.

‘For the projected number of cruise ships I will need staff and I’ve already lined up a few people.

‘I run a business that’s aimed at cruise ships and it’s a case of me rebuilding my business this year. I’ll be starting again, basically – it’s going to be really tough.

‘There are lists online of ports that are going to be called into, so it’s been known for a few weeks the rough number coming, but to actually see the list on Wednesday I was pleasantly surprised.

‘There are quite a few smaller ships, there are more smaller ships than we’ve seen before, especially at the start of the season, and smaller ships for me do not equate to massive ticket sales, not like on a ship where there are 1,500 people.

‘Having said all of that, I’m really looking forward to passengers coming.’

Le Petit Train will be using all the biosecurity measures it used over Christmas with its cruise ship passengers, so that everyone can feel confident and safe.

The return to life for the cruise industry has also been welcomed by accredited tour guide Amanda Johns from Tours of Guernsey.

‘It has been a particularly difficult couple of years for the sector and I like many can’t wait to get back to showing visitors what Guernsey has to offer.

‘For a number of businesses, cruise ship passengers are a significant part of their income, and without them, they would no longer be trading, which then could reduce the overall offering to any visitors to the island.

‘Many passengers return to the island for a longer stay after having seen a snapshot of our beautiful island, which is fantastic for the wider tourism sector.'

She added that Guernsey could take comfort from the stringent regulations that cruise lines have in place for their guests, such as proof of vaccination by passengers, testing at the pier before embarkation and ongoing testing during the cruise.