‘Many positives in visitor data’ says Deputy Vermeulen
ECONOMIC Development has insisted there were many positives in visitor data for 2024, despite a headline 14% drop in visitor numbers.
Deputy Simon Vermeulen, who sits on Economic Development and the Tourism Management Board, said he had been disappointed with the negative narrative on the tourism figures in local media.
‘What is actually happening in tourism is quite positive, to have staying visitors, and what they actually spend, being 2% up, is a positive story,’ he said.
‘It probably brings in substantially more cash than if our cruise passengers had recovered.’
The 14% visitor drop had been fuelled by a 55% drop in cruise passenger numbers, but Deputy Vermeulen said tourism bosses were not giving up on that sector.
‘Following lockdown, Brexit, the Ukrainian war and all the rest of it, we’re facing a bit of a reset on tourism, and on cruise passengers too,’ he said.
‘We’ve had a slight dip, but things are looking very rosy for 2026 on the cruise liner front.’
He said the negative narrative, which had led P&R vice-president Heidi Soulsby to publicly question why ED was not commenting on the 2024 visitor report, did not fit in with ED’s or the Tourism Management Board's opinion on the situation.
‘There’s been a little spat between Deputy Inder and Deputy Soulsby, but the question she asked, “why have we got a Tourism Management Board?” – well, it’s quite simple.
'Industry told us they wanted a full arms-length organisation doing the marketing for tourism, and this is a stepping stone in that direction with more industry representation.’
The TMB was created two years ago. ‘The TMB are formed from industry across the piece, it’s accommodation, it’s pubs, restaurants, it’s societies, it’s guides, everybody.
‘Any opportunity to further tourism, we are jumping on it. We’re doing as much as we currently can, and we’re looking to do substantially more in future.’
The idea of a tourism levy was mentioned in the last States meeting, as part of P&R's future tax plans, and Deputy Vermeulen said this was something he would personally support.
‘Should a tourism levy be successful and be introduced, that will produce more money for marketing,’ he said.
‘It’s in use across Europe, as a way of funding events. We’ve places like the Little Chapel that could utilise improvements, the Victor Hugo interpretation centre, and the work Festung are doing.'
