New body to run tourism?

Wednesday 3rd February 2010, 3:00PM GMT.

Economic Development Minister Alan Maclean

A NEW body to run tourism will be responsible for marketing the 2011 season if Economic Development Minister Alan Maclean has his way.

The public-private partnership company will be owned 75 per cent by the public and 25 per cent by the private sector, if proposals by the minister are accepted by the States.

And it is the intention of Senator Alan Maclean for the partnership to have the necessary legal authority to be in charge of marketing by autumn this year.

The new company will probably need to be up and running before the end of the summer if it is going to have sufficient time to take responsibility for the 2011 marketing campaign.

The Economic Development Minister told a Scrutiny panel last week that getting the public-private partnership in place in time was a ‘top priority’ for his department.

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1
darren

February 3, 2010 at 3:04 pm

And I trust that any links between States members and the chosen private sector businesses will be open to scrutiny and transparency?

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2
Mogit

February 3, 2010 at 4:23 pm

New body to run Tourism….. down completely !!!

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3
Mark

February 3, 2010 at 5:13 pm

Let the hospitality industry run their own marketing, they are the ones who know what is needed.. Just get out of the public sector!

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4
Ask The Oracle

February 3, 2010 at 9:59 pm

As is often the case a good idea but as usual anything that involves The States,they have a great difficulty in letting go of anything.It’s like trying to get people to re-organise the deck chairs on the Titanic after the captain has ordered everyone to abandon ship.
This proposal is surely the wrong way round in as much that the people who know the industry should surely be the one ones with the major input. ie having 75% control and The States having 25%.
The major groups of Hotels, most of which have invested very substantial amounts in their businesses and know the industry inside out would surely be best placed to guide their industry through what are likely to be a difficult few years.
I meet on a daily basis many visitors both business and tourist, the majority of which think this Island is magic and very special and also one of the best kept secrets in Europe. Yes it’s is not as cheap as it once was but the visitors don’t regard it so.
My suggestion would be for Alan Maclean to talk with the industry about them having a far greater input as to what they want Jersey Tourism to be doing for their industry.
As is the case all over the world government is not very good at running things but should maybe confine their activities to putting structures in place for those informed to do what is best in whatever sphere that may be.

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5
Dave

February 4, 2010 at 6:57 am

And what will happen to the people currently employed by the states in this role?

Presumably they will be kept on and redeployed elsewhere in the department, resulting in an overall increase in money going down the tourism plughole.

I agree that hospitality should run their own marketing, but they should not expect the taxpayer to own and presumably fund 75% of the new company.

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6
Chris

February 4, 2010 at 3:23 pm

NO, not yet another unnecessary States body! Creating jobs for friends & family is the only thing States can do these days…

All we need are cheaper flights & no more GST to get tourists back

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