Emergency talks to get the airlines back
Saturday 1st November 2008, 10:00AM GMT.
JERSEY Tourism is to hold emergency talks on how to reinstate lost airlines after September’s arrival figures dropped.
Tourism officials, who blame the credit crunch for the downturn, will meet hoteliers, operators and carriers – including Flybe and Condor – on Tuesday to assess the current marketing conditions. On the agenda will be discussions on how to reinstate airlines after several recently pulled out or reduced their services to the Island, which could have had a direct impact on the reduction of passenger arrivals by nearly nine per cent.
EasyJet, Bmibaby, Bmi, Flybe and Thomsonfly have all cancelled or reduced some of their Jersey services in the last few months. And at the beginning of September, HD Ferries announced that they were stopping all sailings, further restricting access to the Island.
Both air and sea arrivals in September were down 8.5 per cent compared to last year. It has dragged the year-to-date figures down from nearly three per cent to 1.3 per cent. The downturn puts an end to the steady swell in arrivals figures whereby last September showed an increase of 4.8 per cent on September 2006 with the year-to-date figure at 4.6 per cent.
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I used to live in Jersey, and it was always a cheap place to go with drinks and eating out a real bargain. The main reason for the airlines cutting back their services is that the Island is very expensive now, and tourists cannot or will not afford the high prices charged there, with other destinations in europe being more cheaper, like hotel accomadation as well. I was there in Sept this year, and I could not believe the price of the drinks, eating out and the cost of goods in the supermarkets and shops. Whats more there were only 30 people on the plane leaving Cardiff. So wake up and reduce your taxes on the cost of things that people like to do when they take a break, not only for tourists but locals as well. Then people might just think about coming to your nice island once again.
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The availability of reasonably priced flights is crucial. As someone born on the island, but now living in Hull (don’t ask!) I start coming back a lot more (and bringing others with me!) when flights were introduced from Doncaster airport. Using regional airports is a great way of improving the short break market. When Thomson all but elininated the flights from Doncaster it just became much more expensive and difficult to travel. Whilst I don’t think the airlines should be over-subsidised I do think that the marketing of the island remains very poor. If you can get people to travel to Prague for a weekend, where in reality there is very little to do, then it should be easy to get people to come to Jersey. Another problem, and more important, is the very high cost of hotel accommodation. This is the crucial matter. I stayed in Pomme D’or recently, and whilst nice very overpriced considering the room overlooked Wharf Street!!!! Th cost of accommodation makes a break on Jersey often prohibitively expensive. Can you get a room for £70-80? I doubt it. If so why is it so hard to locate one – the marketing of flights and accommodation needs to be imporved. Oh I forgot, in Jersey’s great wisdom the tourism industry has been neglected and many hotels bulldozed ro make way for empty appartments. Whilst I am on my soapbow – which brain box decided to move the Tourism office away from where all the tourists are in a building which is hardly welcoming and difficult to find the entrance. Also, do most Jersey people really value tourists? I doubt it, otherwise the use of H for Horror on Hirre cars would not be used. By the way is thr proposal to have a minimum wage of £6.08 a joke??? Even ASDA in England pay more than that!!!! I though slave labour was dead!
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Besides eating out being expensive, as mentioned previously, trips to various sites on the island are extremely expensive.
My sister who lives in the UK visited Jersey this week, and wanted to go to the Zoo on Saturday with her two kids. The problem was that Durrels could not accept Credit card payments, and even though it was raining, and around 1pm they still wanted over £11 entrance fee for one adult, and with her two young kids (still in prams) the cost would have been almost £30. She found this price too much and decided against it – which is loss to the island – because it is way too greedy.
She also complained about the high cost of food, especially milk and break.
The answer of why fewer people are visiting the island is all down to greed!
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airfares are much too expensive with one in particular charging £8 for 1 case each way and boasting about being the first airline to do it setting others to do the same my sister-in-law came this year and said she will never be back as she can go anywhere in europe for half the price also hated jersey airport as her flight was delayed for 2 hours after being called for boarding and was not allowed out again she is questioning the legalality about this practice as she felt she was imprisoned against her will
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Jersey back in the 90′s was a vibrant place in the summer with more facilities than was possible to cram in to 1 weeks holiday. Not only hotel shows, cabaret clubs, tourist sites etc etc. Now there is nothing except for State run Heritage sites and pubs, very expinsive on both occasions.
The States, in their wisdom, have decided over the last few years to concentrate so hard to turn Jersey in to “little London”, enticing the yuppie banker brigade who only come on secondemnts and give nothing back to the community of Jersey-very short term vision. In my opinion this has been led by one man and one man alone in the States who is hell bent on becoming the main power in the island by putting all the islands future eggs in the one basket. This will be the ruination of Jersey or should I say HE will.
I hope the credit crunch does not impact Jersey as it has in the rest of the world BUT if it does (6 month pond ripple) I feel sorry for the community at large as bank after bank will close or reduce capacity and offices on the island. Where will the States politicians taxes come from then, yep you guessed it, the hard pressed Jersey tax payer again.
Jersey WAS diverse with both Finicial services and commercial business, you only need to look in the JEP vacancy pages every week to see the results of States policy, Financial positions, Legal – no commercial positions to really apply for above minimum wage.
Wake up Jersey politicians from your 15 year slumber, otherwise the tourism industry you relied on building up the island with in 1955 (Sunshine/Honeymoon Island)after the occupation will not bail you out this time – when ignored and ripped off u never get given a second chance. Once its gone its gone, sad but true.
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MTK – please don’t compare this island to Prague as I have spent time in both and believe me there is far more to do in prague if going for a holiday than there is to do hear. Also travel once in most tourist areas is well planned, cheap and efficient. The cost of eating out, drinks etc is also very affordable in most of these place, Jersey does not even compete with the UK on holiday prices anymore so why would any airline want to run loss making flights from local airports? Once you start subsidising airlines where is the benefit in additional tourists as it may initially go to the businesses but will no doubt end in increased taxes of one form of another for businesses leaving no gain.
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Firstly Peter, – Durrell is NOT overpriced when you compare it to preservation zoos elsewhere. A lot of their staff are paid less than they would get for a similar job at elsewhere and some work for nothing so ‘greed’ is not the reason.
Jersey needs to target the correct market segment. You can’t have Easyjet etc and also have expensive premium restaurants and spas.
The people wishing to travel on cheap airlines are often looking for a cheap weekend somewhere – Jersey isn’t it – not anymore. Similarly those who can afford Jersey prices aren’t the type of people to rush for their seats on an Easyjet plane. If Jersey is going to remain pricey, but with quality attractions and hotels (which it does have), it needs to attract those that can afford it and not those who are comparing a trip to Jersey against a trip to the south of Spain.
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mtk. What are you thinking of. I was born in Hull but now live in Jersey. Awesome
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Joker Durrell IS way overpriced. So is everything over here.
It is cheaper to go to spain or france for a weeks holiday then it is to come here now
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Tourism officials blame the credit crunch, but the decline in tourism in Jersey has far deeper roots. Cheaper prices used to be the backbone of the attraction to Jersey.In addition, Jersey airport taxes, i.e,landing charges, are now amongst the highest in the world. Monopolies on shipping, fuel and other imported commodities continue to operate, despite a monopolies law. GST could not have come at a worse time when recession is now certain. Shipping and transport costs negate the VAT free status. We effectively pay the equivelant of the 17.5% VAT plus a tax on tax of 3% GST.This is levied, not on the basic cost of the goods, but also on top of those shipping and transport costs.I attended a meeting with the imported UK architect of GST and when I asked him why shipping costs were included in the net of GST, he replied that shipping to Jersey added value to the goods ! Tourism needs a boost and yet GST is a further nail in the coffin. After all, hotels and guest house have to pass this tax on a hidden tax to the consumer.
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Certainly tourism needs some initiatives as the Finance Industry in Jersey will be hit by the current malaise for a couple of years.
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shame we chased away the bucket and spade brigade,in search of a better class of tourist.
we have priced ourselves off the face of the earth
in everyway possible.
and not entirely thru greed, but a true cost of living thats like a runaway train.
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Look at the costs of getting to the island by Ferry, from the UK. Massively over priced, and unfortunately just prices me out of the market. Competition is desperately needed on UK to CI routes. At least Jersey has it better than Guernsey when it comes to airlines.
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I started taking holidays and short breaks on jersey around 1982 it was a very different place then. I have recently returned from a weekend there and I have to say that although the scenery is beautiful in the daytime all year round it can be a real struggle finding anything to do at night. this is so different to the jersey I used to know and love, add to that the cost for example £1.05 for a tin of coke! its cheaper in london! I really feel now that apart from the scenery I dont know what would make me feel like returning to this island I once adored.
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