No need for tourism to 'eat itself'
THE sheer amount of conflict and contradiction that emerged from a question on the state of the island’s tourism industry in the States yesterday amply demonstrates just what a pickle that sector of the economy is in.
In turn, we were told: the contract with Brittany Ferries is the best thing since fast ferries; bookings for French day-trippers to the island look positive; marketing campaigns are working, and Saint Malo loves Guernsey.
But on the other hand, cruise liner passengers won’t pick up until next year at best; the decline in air traffic looks terminal; business travel will never be the same again; and too many people are complaining, outnumbering those who are investing.
That’s without mentioning the ongoing row over a visitor levy, where Economic Development has been tasked with bringing forward proposals, which its president opposes and its tourism lead supports. So do two industry representative groups, as long as they get the money.
People still don’t properly understand who takes responsibility for who leads, and who claims success or blame for failure of the industry, the committee or the Tourism Management Board.
There’s a lot to play for other the next few months.
And then the Economic Development president says: ‘We’ve got enough external problems without eating ourselves.’