THE number of people interested in a holiday in Jersey has doubled since this time last year
.Jersey Tourism have had 62 per cent more brochure inquiries than usual and the number continues to rise.Central reservation sales and bed nights are up year-on-year for January and unique visitors to the Island’s tourism website are up by 29 per cent on January 2003.
This represents a rise of 908 per cent if compared to the number of people who visited the site in 1999.People are spending an average of 20 minutes exploring the website to find out what is on offer in the Island and Jersey Tourism have said they are very pleased with the figures.Deputy Lyndon Farnham, chairman of the Jersey Tourism Board, said: ‘Anecdotal evidence is indicating that the level of interest is being reflected with booking activity - it is early days yet but to have an optimistic tone to the start of the season is very welcome indeed.’Alongside the benefit of increased interest in holidaying in the Island, Tourism say there will be a boost to the Island’s industry when airline ThomsonFly are introduced in April.
Also, the increased flights and accessibility provided by recently established links to Bournemouth, Plymouth, Bristol, Manchester, Teeside and Stansted are beginning to have an impact.Tourism public relations executive Jenny Ellenger said the current world climate could also be having an impact on the amount of interest holiday makers had in the Island.
She said: ‘The market is getting less keen to travel long distances, perhaps due to security concerns.’Tourism could not confirm if the extra publicity generated by the 1204-2004 celebrations has stimulated inquiries.
The department has themed 2004 heritage year to promote the events organised for the 800th anniversary of the Island’s unique constitutional status.Last October the 2004 season received a massive boost by being featured as Visit Britain’s Destination of the month.
In the same month the Britain Visitor Centre in London’s Regent Street was made over to promote the Channel Islands and in November Tourism continued the 1204-2004 promotion at the World Travel Market in London.Tourism strategic marketing planner Julian Baker said there was definitely more interest in Jersey but it was impossible to relate it one specific factor such as the 1204-2004 celebrations.
Article posted on 28th February, 2004 - 12.00am
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