Visitor accommodation support extended by a year

Thursday 25 February 2021

Travel to and from the Bailiwick has been severely impacted for nearly a year, all non-essential travel has been strongly advised against since the 12 March 2020 – the effects on our visitor accommodation sector have been huge.

It's expected that visitor accommodation businesses will have to wait until 2022 before the sector starts to experience pre-covid levels of income again.

Hotels in Guernsey continue to operate well below their usual occupancy levels, and have been offered a raft of support measures to keep them afloat.

Pictured: Despite a push for staycations, the impact of the pandemic has still been severe for the hospitality industry.

The dedicated Visitor Accommodation Support Scheme started in October last year, following months of entitlement to other business support measures. It allows businesses to apply for grants for empty rooms. The Payroll co-funding scheme is also available as an alternative to struggling accommodation providers. 

The scheme was set to end next month, however no detail has been given on when the Bailiwick of Guernsey might relax its border controls. The Head of the Civil Contingencies Authority did not confirm any pathway to opening borders at yesterday's briefing, but did confirm that the support scheme will now be in place for another year.

“Visitor accommodation will have that bespoke assistance that was given to them extended again,” said Deputy Peter Ferbrache. “Those are there [support measures] to give people certainty in difficult times.”

Pictured: The grant scheme is a fixed monthly payment that started last October.

The scheme will only be re-visited or changed if there is a “real improvement for the sector during this time”.

Businesses already on the scheme are free to change the form of support they receive. The initial claims process is currently closed but claimants will soon be contacted by the States of Guernsey to review their support options.