£2 bus fare for visitors is a public relations disaster
I THINK this £2 bus fare is absurd. I have operated Le Chene Hotel for a decade and this is the worst PR for Guernsey I have encountered so far. We get many guests exploring the lanes by bike and they are always impressed with local people helping them find their way and the friendliness in general of this community.
But last year the main impression with many guests was not so favourable; the £2 visitor bus fare as opposed to £1 for locals made many feel unwelcome.
And you know what?
It's not really about the extra pound, it is about the impression it gives.
We have many Continental visitors who spend a considerable amount of money to get here, but when they take the bus back to the airport for instance, that will be their final impression, which might deter them from coming back.
Personally, and I am no politician nor do I pretend to have investigated all the ins and outs of this matter, but as a general consensus I would guess a £1.50 fare for all bus users might be the solution? It seems ridiculous to spend much time and effort on PR and marketing of Guernsey as a destination on the one hand, then undoing all this effort with this ridiculous fare system on the other.
And you know what?
In general I have no real interest in politics, but we do work hard to be successful in a challenging tourism market, and this really does not help.
NIEK VAN ZUTPHEN,
Via guernseypress.com
