What can be done to halt the demise of tourist industry?

There are the challenges of Brexit impacting on the availability of economic migrants, the impact on travel by the questionable climate change, the pandemic of Covid-19, the demise of bed numbers where once thriving guest houses and hotels serviced thousands annually have disappeared, the land redeveloped or establishments turned into residential homes or other.

It’s fair to say the industry is facing its worse crisis ever.

The big question is how does one arrest the decline and what can government do or cannot do to protect the industry?

Therefore, what will the impact of a Premier Inn have on the industry?

Covid-19 will eventually become an annual virus, so the overrated pandemic panic will not have such a catastrophic impact. However, the decline in the hospitality industry will not recover so quickly, especially with the future changes of travel forced upon airlines and other forms of

public travel by the

ever-increasing green scourge.

Should one question the wisdom of who gave the nod to a 100-bedroom, low budget hotel with an in-house restaurant supported by an organisation with an annual revenue of £2bn to be built in Guernsey?

Was there an impact study carried out to assess the implications on an already struggling industry of a Premier Inn in Guernsey prior to planning permission being granted?

Is the industry going to grow in 12 months when the hotel comes online sufficiently to compete with such a massive low-budget organisation?

I doubt this very much. What we could see is the decline of more establishments forced into a price war and the implications of climate change.

I may be totally incorrect. We have some wonderful hospitality establishments in Guernsey, with some just about surviving due to the aforementioned issues.

The introduction of a Premier Inn in Guernsey will change the hospitality industry for ever – let’s hope, for the short-term and long-term benefit of the bailiwick, in a positive way.

PETE BURTENSHAW

Address withheld.

Editor’s footnote: Visit Guernsey declined to comment.