A plan of action for tourism

Wednesday 05 February 2020

The airport runway, better accommodation and staff recruitment issues are just some of the points the Guernsey Tourism team hopes to address within the next five years.

VisitGuernsey has published a ten point plan along with the Committee for Economic Development in an attempt to improve tourism in the Bailiwick.

Pictured: The plan aims to improve the island's cruise sector.

The plan takes the organisations up to 2025, and follows on from the Guernsey Tourism Strategy, which was established in 2015 and spans a decade.

The ten points include:

1. Confirm the business case for the extension of the airport runway
2. Invest in the development of existing and new air routes to the island
3. Investigate opportunities to improve the ferry service provision to the island
4. Investigate the opportunity to support the development of quality destination attractions through public/private collaboration
5. Investigate the opportunity to help improve the breadth and quality of the islands' tourism accommodation
6. Further invest in and develop the cruise passenger sector
7. Support the deliver of the Seafront Enhancement Area programme for the benefit of tourism
8. Investigate the opportunity to reduce red tape with regards to tourism planning and investment
9. Review the Population Management and Immigration legislation and policies to help address any staff recruitment and staff retention issues
10. Develop campaigns and activities to target Guernsey's core target markets to drive awareness and help reduce seasonality

Pictured: Deputy Joe Mooney and Mike Hopkins.

"To help develop the future shape of, and the growth potential for the visitor market it is essential that the question over the possible extension of the airport runway is answered," said Tourism Lead of the Committee for Economic Development, Deputy Joe Mooney.

"One of the priority action plans detailed in the ten point plan is to complete and confirm the business case for the extension of the runway, and I am pleased to say that this work is now taking place and the committee will continue to work closely with the Chamber of Commerce and with our trade and industry partners to deliver the other important nine action plans also."

They are planning to take a policy letter on the runway to the States before the middle of 2020, with all approved developments due to be completed in five years' time.

Pictured: VisitGuernsey's latest campaign which aims to promote the entire Bailiwick.

"A significant amount of progress has been achieved by the committee and its industry partners over the past, at times, very challenging five years," added Director of Marketing & Tourism, Mike Hopkins.

"Addressing and turning around over twenty years of consistent visitor decline was never going to be easy or achieved overnight. However, over the past five years we have seen the excellent progress made help deliver the early signs of visitor growth, especially for the high value staying leisure visitor market.

"To help continue that trend our collective attention needs to be given to the ten priority areas that will help make the greatest impact over the next five years, and this document sets out those ten plans in a concise and straightforward manner."

The full plan is available to download here.