DESPITE airlines reducing their services, bad publicity from Haut de la Garenne and the global economic downturn, there is still optimism for 2009 within Jersey’s tourism industry.
With more money being spent on marketing, a new task force – ‘Challenge 2009’ – and the opportunity to capitalise on the weakness of the pound, Jersey Tourism has assured industry players that although next year will be challenging, there are reasons to be confident.
Around 200 hoteliers, attraction owners, tour operators and air and sea carriers attended Jersey Tourism’s annual conference at the Hotel de France on Thursday afternoon. The guest speaker was VisitBritain’s head of government and public affairs Bernard Donoghue who said that Jersey had an opportunity to cash in on the weakness of the pound.
‘The UK is 27.5 per cent cheaper to the Northern American tourist now than on 1 January this year,’ he said. ‘The UK is ten per cent cheaper to the Euro traveller now than on 1 January this year. The opportunities to get people to come to Jersey for good value and good product are immense.’
• Picture: Research has shown that people have not been put off Jersey, despite bookings plummeting immediately after the Haut de la Garenne story broke
Article posted on 25th November, 2008 - 3.00pm
23 Article Comments
This is the most ridiculous statement I have heard in a while. This is the tourism equivalent of the charge of the light brigade. Jersey costs a fortune, the weather is inconsistent, there is little to do and it is time to accept it. Wasting money on a conference slapping each other on the back and talking things up is not really the answer. Your bed numbers will slowly reduce, transport to and from the island will reduce and you have to accept that your 2nd rate hotels will all become flats. Cashing in on the weakness of the pound – bottle of beer in Portugal sat in the sun 1 pound sat in a feral pub in Jersey 3 pounds. I can see them flocking here now.
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when you are at ground level, looking up can feel inspiring.
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Young people don’t see Jersey as even interesting. I left 5 years ago (on a good note with the island) – I only go back to see friends. Sorry but I never recommend the island to friends. Rome, Barcelona & Paris have an edge that can never be met – even if you have to pay 300% more to get there. Its worth it. Jersey had its day 30years ago.
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Gino – what a fantastic and also may I add inspiring comment. Is that what tramps say as they sleep on the floor? They dream of that 5 bedroomed house – when in reality they will die on the street. It is ludicrous statements like that used quite commonly in Jersey to “talk up” issues that people will not face up to. There is nothing to do in Jersey – how can it compete with other short break destinations, over priced and at a shockingly low standard. It has had its day, it is not modern, nor cutting edge and a stupid waste of money. What is most amusing though is that comment you made – pathetic. You clearly have no grasp on reality. Any business that has an outdated, overpriced product declining in sales, pulls it of the market. Accept that is what tourism is and move on
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Left the Island
I disagree with you saying Jsy has nothing to offer – there is plenty to do. Quality restaurants, nightlife isn’t bad, rich with modern and ancient history a lot of locals don’t seem to appreciate, attractions like Durrell, museums, central market, castles, cliff path walks surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery I’ve seen (and yes I’ve travelled to many countries) which would keep most people busy for a week.
Yes – Jersey lacks the grandeur of some of our neighbouring capitals but isn’t that the point? Cities do offer more – but more of quantity than quality and diversity and more than you can squeeze into a week anyway.
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Joker – how appropriate. Im sure you are right – keep telling yourself that. So if its that good why dont visitors go there? Nightlife isnt bad – where do you go out?
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Jersey lacks a finite image and therefore cannot adopt a cohesive ad campaign to attract the target market. Look at the new ads for the IOM, outdoor activities coupled quality hotels. That may not be the reality, but it does look good.
Tourism need to sort their act out, decide if they want to attract the ‘blue rinse’ set, families, adventure seekers or Yachties for example. Jersey has much to offer, but by trying to produce one ‘generic’ ad to attract all types of holiday maker doesn’t really work.
Enough of the beautiful sweeping shots of St Ouen, and it is beautiful, give the ads some real substance and decide who would want to holiday here!
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LTI – You agree Jsy was once very popular? Strange you blame the fall in visitor numbers on there being no attractions when there are no fewer visitor attractions now than there were 25 years ago. Yes there were lots of tacky ‘Blackpool’ type attractions 25 years ago – fortunately they have all gone – taken care by your ‘business model’ I believe. Now the real reasons why numbers have fallen: – Increased competition in the number of destinations being more affordable to the average punter – especially weekend breaks.
Jersey never used to have to market itself because people couldn’t afford to go any further anyway. Over the years Jsy has been swamped by the mass marketing (something you appear to know nothing about) of every destination on offer and it hasn’t kept up with the pace in selling itself. Tourism is trying to rectify this – but on a pathetic budget; most countries will spend Tourism’s entire budget on 1 TV advert.
You are not, & never will be Jsy’s target market (looking for an 18 – 30 cheap booze package). The true reasons to visit Jersey haven’t disappeared – in fact, excluding the world class scenery, the best ones range from 60 to 3,000 yrs old.
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sorry I meant 60 to 5,000 yrs old!
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My apologies Joker – you are so right. Jersey is a fun, value for money, world class destination. That is why you have a booming year round tourist industry. I feel humbled and the clarity of your argument has proved me wrong. I think the airlines that pull out of flying there and the people that turn their hotels into flats are fools. They should come and talk to you.
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legalise cannabis – then we’ll have a tourist industry!
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Good – I’m glad you now agree that Jersey’s tourism isn’t suffering because of lack of attractions but instead because of the lack of a decent marketing strategy over the last 20 years – mistershifter hit the nail on the head -in an increasingly competitive world.
Your hotel into flats example has explained one of the main reasons the States dropped the ball on tourism – most (not but not all) locals wanted to swap their careers of selling knickknacks to tourists for a more wealthy career in finance; the trend of hotels into flats reflects this. None of this changes the fact that Jersey still has a lot to offer potential visitors.
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Left the island
What happened to make you so bitter ?
Of coarse jersey has something to offer, people do come here.
They may not be the type of people you like or want to do the sort of thing you do.
You just carry on living in countries that have no go areas caused by abject poverty and high rates of public order crime.
Ile stay in Jersey (no, I was not born here)
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*What’s left* of the culture is inspiring. And the attempts to catch up with the modern world are cute. I like the shopping centre idea however is it making much sense since shops are closing on the high street before our very eyes? I wish the population was capped years ago – Jersey used to be a gorgeous place with kind people. The politicians here are seen as clowns which in turn makes our Island look like a joke. I can’t afford to buy my own place, and doesn’t look likely that I will be able to looking at these prices!
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can anyoue comment on how many beds we have lost to luxury flats inclusive of the lost hotels and guest houses?
i would say it quite hard to get a living out of a guest house these days.
our island is a nice place , but sadly expensive.
tourism must survery departing tourists to find out the likes and dislikes.
the tourism office is full of happy smiling people
who want to help tourists
i know as i have seen them in action.
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The decline in Tourism is attributed to many factors, essentially the world is an ever changing place, and Jersey has also changed. The Hoteliers cannot really be blamed for ‘cashing in’ on the flat conversion ‘boom’. They are simply adjusting to market forces.
Now we see an ever changing transient population fulfilling the short term employment requirements of mainly the financial sector. People move here from Poland for example, earn high wages (relatively to homeland income) for a few years, save, and then move back to their respective Countries. And well done to them all.
This is all well and good, but the Island is now viewed as a short term money making destination rather than a resort. If and how this can be remedied remains to be seen!
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Even a lemming is optimistic as he takes his final leap.
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Missing the point!
If there is a credit crunch why throw millions on airlines and hotels to keep them going.
Why pay to keep the empty beds empty?
There is One airline that flys from Jersey that gets half a million a year just for one route!
WHY?
So the business men can get in and out of Jersey? Not!
The States have wasted OUR money on subsidys that should not be paid to these companys.
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Every time I come home to Jersey (I live in the UK)I am disappointed by the careless destruction of a beautiful place by people who appear to know the cost of everything and the value of nothing. Whenever I tell people I’m from Jersey they are always interested and often have had a holiday in Jersey at some time in their lives. The reasons that tourism has declined include the lower cost of world travel generally and the incredible amount of travel choices that we have. Jersey has great restaurants, natural history and historical sites – capitalise on those and also promote island hopping – get together with the other islands to make it easier (and less costly)to visit them, accommodation – more self catering, shopping – local products and shops. Jersy is different and special – just – it’s not too late to keep it that way.
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The majority of hotels that were turned into flats were shocking and by no means up to today’s standards, there is a decent amount to do in Jersey in the daytime but apart from some nice restaurants and a few decent bars the nightlife leaves a lot to be desired. If Fort regent was developed into a ‘world class’ casino it would help things immensely as it would attract tourists & entertainers… I know some will be against that and say tourism worked well without a casino before but these will be the same people who are screaming to get away from finance…. change is necessary for survival!
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well I have been reading everyones posts here, good and bad. I will say this. I have been coming to jersey since 1981 when it was a true holiday island, compare that to 2008 there is nothing left here?? sure all of the scenery is fantastic and always will be but for a family holiday come on ? when the weather is bad and it frequently is what is there to do here now? nightlife thats just a joke compared to what it used to be. Once you have had your evening meal in your hotel and a drink or 2 in the bar its time for bed for gods sake! no point in going for a drive as we used to simply because there is nothing to drive to. If jersey wants to promote itself as a quality holiday destination once again then im sorry but it has to offer a heck of a lot more than it currently does its just no longer acceptable. Very expensive now too. I agree with everything left the island has posted here. well put.
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Rod – as someone who has visited here many times and has an outside view but clearly not bitter toward the Island I respect your comments. I agree there are less ‘attractions’ than there used to be but aren’t these the attractions that were popular in the 70s and 80s that no longer are popular?
Please tell me how the nightlife has changed since 1981? Are you referring to Swansons cabarets and the like? If so, didn’t cabarets die with the times everywhere now only to be found on cruise ships? As a potential visitor I’m intersted to know what you think should be here in their place?
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Joker.
I am 48 years old, I’m not a kid anymore and I’m not a pensioner either. How about say some venues where 30 to 50 year olds can enjoy some live music. It does’nt have to be swanson style, say indie bands or something similar? or just easy listening bands? there has to be something ! I once took a cab into st helier looking for nightlife and looked round the waterfront then the town where there were a handful of scruffy pubs one hour later I was in a cab back to my hotel as it was so lacking.
st brelade/ st aubin are both the same with a few eating houses and very little else? The isle of wight is much larger than jersey but tell you what! there is a twist on every corner
and soooo much more to do. Never thought i would say it but i’d rather spend a weekend there now than jersey very sad. Once jersey was a week long destination for me, more recently it has been only somewhere I would consider a weekend to, sadly now i’m even questioning that. not a good situation at all.
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