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A new report breaking down data on how many people visit the Bailiwick, and why they came, has found that more people see the restaurants as a highlight over traditional visitor attractions.
85% of all respondents to a survey said they were here for the "natural beauty of the island" and the beaches.
The same report found that visitor numbers - while still down on 2019 - have continued to recover post-pandemic.
Pictured: Headlines from the first Guernsey Travel and Visitor Annual Report. The full report can be found HERE.
The report contains data collated from visitors to Guernsey, as well as Guernsey residents travelling to destinations outside the Bailiwick during 2023.
It compiles information published each quarter throughout 2023 alongside some additional details collected via a survey of visitors throughout the year. This covers what they spent while here, and what they got up to.
The average party size was just two people, with a third of them spending £1,500 or more on their trip (including travel and accommodation). Just 3% of respondents said they had spent less than £250 on their trip.
16% of all the visitors who did the survey said their travel to and from the islands was their "least favourite" part of their trip with delays and cancellations of aeroplanes and ferries, weather-related issues, uncomfortable plane and ferry journeys, long queues for security at Guernsey and origin airports, and lack of direct travel all given as reasons.
Bad weather hampered some people's (12%) enjoyment of their visit too while 8% said the roads are too busy.
Pictured: 16% of all the visitors who did the survey said their travel to and from the islands was their "least favourite" part of their trip while 8% said the roads are too busy.
The most popular activity - enjoyed by 85% of all visitors - was 'eating and/or drinking out' - with 73% of visitors going to sites of natural beauty (including beaches, and 66% of visitors did some walking and/or running while here.
A third of all respondents said the most enjoyable aspect of their trip was our islands' natural environment, with many citing the scenery, the beaches, the peacefulness, the beautiful coastlines and pretty lanes as a highlight.
A quarter said seeing friends and family was the most enjoyable aspect of their visit while 11% highlighted activities like cycling, cliff walks and sea swimming, as the most enjoyable aspect of their trip.
Just 10% cited trips to Sark and Herm as the most enjoyable aspect with just 9% citing attractions such as Hauteville House, Castle Cornet, the Little Chapel, the Underground Hospital, the Occupation Museum, and open air events such as the West Show and the Cobo balcony concerts as their highlights.
Pictured: Castle Cornet. (Milly Mallender)
Hannah Beacom, Chair of Guernsey's Tourism Management Board said the data will be used to future plan for the visitor economy.
"It’s great to have a new annual publication looking back at a whole year’s worth of data regarding visitors to the island, as well as Guernsey residents travelling outside the Bailiwick. The data from 2023 confirms that it was a successful continuation of our post-pandemic recovery, showing increased activity compared to 2022.
"In addition to some of the positive numbers for 2023 compared to 2022, it was useful to see the visitor survey reinforce that the natural beauty, history and heritage that the island offers continues to be a significant draw for visitors. It was also great to see that the overall net promoter score for 2023 was 61 percentage points. Anything above 50 is considered excellent and the best adverts for the islands are happy visitors because they tell all their friends.
"We’re hopeful of further growth in 2024, which is the first year we’re considering as no longer being a 'recovery year'. The Tourism Management Board is continuing work on our tourism strategy, which is progressing well and we’re on course to publish it by the end of the first quarter of 2024 as planned."
This is the first Guernsey Travel and Visitor Annual Report to be published and was compiled by Helen Walton, the Head of the States of Guernsey Data and Analysis Service.
“I’m pleased to be able to provide this new annual report, which presents a summary of the detailed feedback from visitors alongside the overall data on volumes of visitors and residents travelling to and from the Island. The more detailed information has not been published before and I am hopeful that it will prove to be a reliable and useful source of information for those seeking to better understand the visitor economy, including topics such as why people chose to visit Guernsey and what they most and least enjoyed about their visits.”
Pictured top: Cobo Bay. (Milly Mallender)
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