Tourism is a passion project
TOURISM in Guernsey. We love it, and we hate it. We see its good points, and the bad. The many positives and the negatives that it brings.
The Guernsey Travel and Visitor Annual Report, a new publication, says a lot about the state of the industry, even when it doesn’t explicitly aim to.
In short, the report indicates that we’re in post-Covid recovery, but the bounce back has not been as good as might be hoped.
Some of the messages emerging we’ve heard before. Make the most of the shoulder months; promote multi-generational holidays; promote the island’s natural beauty (walking, anyone?). Our visitors like that beauty, and they also like our history and heritage, and four out of 10 even say they like our climate.
But what underpins the report, and ultimately, the industry in Guernsey, is the ‘passion’ shown by those in the industry. As Tourism Management Board chairwoman Hannah Beacom says, it has shone through during the ‘more challenging’ discussions the board members have faced.
It’s undoubtedly a difficult business being involved in tourism in Guernsey. The commitment, investment and indeed, the passion of the few, in the face of so many challenges facing the industry, continues to underpin the sector and the contribution it makes not just economically, but to island life, and we should be grateful for it.