Is Jersey’s tourism industry worth saving, or is it already too late?
Wednesday 25th August 2010, 3:00PM BST.
From Barrie Bertram.
WITH the reaction to a recent letter stating that Jersey is astronomically expensive for tourists, is there perhaps a message coming through that someone should now be delegated as the last person standing to switch off the lights in Jersey’s tourism industry while every one else heads off to worship at the altar of mammon that is the finance industry?
Tourism has undoubtedly declined, Duncan Gibaut’s Little Book of Numbers tells us so, and looking at the last ten to 12 years, leisure visitors are staying 22 per cent less in terms of number of days, there are 37 per cent fewer staying visitor numbers, and while are beds down 44 per cent, occupancy is about 65 per cent.
Somebody will no doubt argue about a percentage point or two here or highlight an upward blip there, but overall, the trend is still downward.
The question is whether it is RIP Jersey tourism or whether it is a suitable case for urgent treatment.
But first, has anybody defined the term ‘astronomically expensive’? Yes, Jersey is more expensive than the UK, but how much moreso for the tourist? Have the cost differences between the UK and Jersey been identified and analysed to see where they deter the visitor?
Mr Swallow (JEP, 18 August) states that housing is expensive, however, that is not relevant to the visitor, although in fairness, he makes a good point as to relative average income.
Regardless of their income, many tourists have become more discerning, yet kids of nine or ten will still want to dig holes on the beach or be bought a Mr Whippy, and there is widespread recognition that Jersey cannot run to an Alton Towers, a Legoland or the equivalent of Blackpool’s Golden Mile.
Analysis cannot ignore the costs of getting from a home in England to a place of departure and back, while nostalgia will not bring back boat trains clattering along the streets of Weymouth to catch the mailboat. Such analysis would surely have been a better way of spending money that was used on the ‘flying banana’ logo, or the research that came up with ‘culture vultures’ (note the avian thread).
Such information could point to the cost drivers, GST as an additional burden on goods still carrying UK VAT, masquerading as shipping costs, being a particular example.
But there is another indirect factor that skews costs to deter the visitor, namely the Gross National Income which, according to the Little Book of Numbers, stands higher than the UK and France by more than 80 per cent, and a mere 3 per cent more than Luxembourg.
I suggest the GNI impacts visitor costs and numbers in two ways. The first is the perceived wealth that this implies, encouraging higher prices in shops, bars, restaurants and other places of entertainment. The second is that the benefits of high GNI are not equitably reflected in overall taxation, thus the existence of GST.
A simple example to highlight GNI providing a consumer benefit is Luxembourg, whose low taxes on motoring fuel and tobacco product prices are a magnet to nationals from neighbouring European countries such as France or Germany.
The tourism patient requires an aggressive dose of cost reduction and balanced taxation to pull through.
Lastly, the Little Book of Numbers highlights the contribution that the finance industry makes in terms of its Gross Value Added figure, which dwarfs all other contributing sectors.
In some ways this is welcome, but consider the impact that a new finance centre on the Esplanade might have on future tourist numbers in the ten years it would take to complete (OK, somebody said it was seven years, but yea verily there will be delays, cost overruns, litigation, etc).
Cranes, diversions, hold-ups and with St Helier as a work in progress, none of this can lead to a great visitor experience. In Jersey Tourism’s case, it all boils down to kill or cure.
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I couldn’t care less about the vistor experience with regard to the potential multi million white elephant planned by the lavishly paid civil servants on the waterfront. What about the chaos affecting the rest of us here 24/7?
It will be a total disaster if it goes ahead and will cost all the rainy day fund.
PS what happened to the luxurious shopping centre we have been promised on the abbatior site ?? We were promised all kinds of wonders and it was supposed by be opened 12 months ago ………………….
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My wife has relations visiting Jersey,staying in ahotel in Roseville street,the transfer cost from the airport to hotel,£85 quid,that’s really going to impress them,surely hotels wan’t(need)the custom and could give them free transfers,maybe a £5 tip would suffice the driver,oops,cash in hand,tax free!!
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Bob – Suggest that the hotel are taking the mick! My family are coming over, 9 of them, and for £80 the hotel they are staying at arranged pick up and drop to and from the airport. That is more than reasonable, less than 10pp for a return journey.
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Jersey tourism industry, I think we can safely say that this parrot is dead. At least other than as a very small niche product which probably doesn’t justify or even need the spend or headcount of Jersey Tourism directed at resuscitating it.
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What’s this? torrential rain, flooding in St Helier? Forget it, let’s go to Spain, wall-to- wall sunshine and significantly cheaper.
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Jersey Tourism is quite a bit smaller than it was.
Quite a few personnel have been relocated round the States empire, Nigel Philpot is now in charge of attracting millionaires to the island and Steve Parlby is now in project management at Social Security.
The same thing has happened at the Howard Davis Agricultural Centre, when it closed, the staff were shunted off to TTS and other departments.
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Since relocating to the UK I have met one couple who holiday in Jersey every year.They go to the same guest house (meals included)every year and spend very little on the island.I have also met countless others who have never been(and don’t have any plans to go) or have been once and don’t plan to return.This is not because they didn’t like it but simply because they like to see different places and feel that one visit was enough.I recently spoke to one couple who went during the sixties and we discussed all the places they could remember including where they actually stayed.I was horrified to tell them that EVERY place they recalled was now closed down!I truly believe that tourism would be best concentrating on short stays/long weekends for the older/more discerning traveller who would “pop over” for a quick break but who would not consider using up a week/fortnight of precious holiday time.These people tend to have more cash available although the price of travel to the island is very off-putting when people in the UK can jump in a car and arrive somewhere totally stunning and different within a couple of hours.Just my thoughts on the matter!
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Comparing prices with the UK isn’t the key – comparing prices with the alternatives (Europe, America) is where Jersey really loses out. If it costs the same or (usually) more to come to Jersey for a week as it does to go elsewhere in Europe for 2 weeks, or even to Florida, all with more to do and almost guaranteed sunshine, who would chose Jersey?
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My wife and I have been coming to Jersey every year for the last twenty years. Firstly for 1 week per year. Not enough – upped it to two weeks a year, then four weeks. Since I took early retirement four years ago we now spend six weeks per year holidaying on Jersey and we still can’t get enough. Yes, it is a lot more expensive to travel to and stay on Jersey than, for instance, Spain, but Jersey is our ideal. We have introduced countless people – family, friends and aqaintances – to the delights of Jersey and they now visit regularly. There is not enough space here for me to list the many reasons why we keep coming back, but there seems plenty of space for any amount of negative comments. Please bear in mind that anybody contemplating a visit to your beautiful island may stumble upon the J.E.P. website and could easily be put off visiting by the negative comments which seem to dominate whenever tourism is in the news. Our dream is to live in Jersey, but non-qualfied rental is far too expensive. But we still have the dream, and our positive view of Jersey wil always outweigh the negatives.
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How sad to read this article about the decline in tourism to your beautiful island. I lived in St Helier, Jersey for 5 years back in the mid eighties and have many fond memories of what a great place it is to visit. I moved to the US and have since lived in Orlando, Florida the past twenty years or so. I can tell you that Jersey still has a lot to offer and I have spoken to many brits over the years that speak highly of Jersey as a destination. Like everywhere Orlando has seen a big decline in tourism due to the recession and last year in the summer months we had hotel occupancy drop to 28% on weekdays and about 38% on weekends even on International Drive. Restaurants that used to be full are now much quieter or closed. Don’t give up we can only hope for better days in the years ahead. But please rememember this Jersey has so much more to offer than I think it gets credit for. So many nice bays and beaches for walking around. Nice bars, shops, hotels and restaurants. Great places to drive to in the car. It’s a shame you can’t attract Americans as I know they would just love the castles and history of the island. Good Luck! I hope to visit again soon.
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Hi ,I come from jersey,but have to say for years the island has been ripping of locals and tourist,you have been to greedy this is what happens,I dont come over much as it cost me to much even though I stay with family.
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I think the ‘Great British Holiday’ is really a thing of the past. People are not likely to take their family to any British resort to get rained on for a week or two, even in August. And that goes double for Jersey which is not cheap, and relatively expensive to get to.
Where Jersey could score better is in having more ‘destination hotels’ where guests expect real quality and more indoor facilities. Because their stay is probably no more than 4 days the nightly cost can be quite high. I was up at Fort Regent last week and can’t understand why the place is being run at about 20% of its true potential. This place was ‘world class’ back in the 1970′s and can be again. Replace the old pool with a top class hotel, bring back the ski lift and make it the heart of a push towards putting Jersey back on the tourist map.
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Overpopulated: “.. what happened to the luxurious shopping centre we have been promised on the abbatior site ?? We were promised all kinds of wonders and it was supposed by be opened 12 months ago”
You got a Pasty Shop, what more do you want?
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We visit the island at least 3 times a year. We arnt looking for anything special, just a place to unwind, walk the north coast, eat out in a modesty priced country pub, shop in town and visit every corner of your lovely island by car. Of course it doesnt suit the lager louts or the sunburnt hordes that go to the costas (thank goodness) but there are many who still appreciate the beauty of the island. The main concern we have is the reduction in the amount of basic affordable accomodation available. Nowadays self catering is increasingly popular rather than the traditional b and b. Another market could also be short break tourism. Flights arnt too expensive if they are booked well in advance. That of course doesnt help those who might want to visit at short notice.
Jersey will always be a lovely place to visit as long as transport links and accomodation are reasonably priced
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David Jones: ‘Our dream is to live in Jersey, but non-qualfied rental is far too expensive. But we still have the dream, and our positive view of Jersey wil always outweigh the negatives.’
Maybe the States should be making it easier for people like David to settle in Jersey rather than encouraging those who are only attracted by employment and tax avoidance. The latter seem hell bent on changing Jersey for the worse whilst moaning about being stuck on a ‘rock’.
David, like so many other frequent visitors, clearly loves the place. Wouldn’t he make a better citizen than someone who doesn’t really want to be in Jersey?
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The luxurious shopping centre is due to open at the end of October. That’s the current plan, but who knows? It could be Christmas
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Having read the posts 9 and 10. (and all the others) i really think we need to appreciate what we have.
How many of you who moan about what we spend on Tourism realise it is also your lifeline to getting off the island (and not just on it). If Tourism continues to decline airport landing fees, harbour fees will all rise.
The hidden benefits of Tourism need to be realised to. I do book-keeping for a small business that gets a small proportion of its business from visiting tourists, like many businesses on the island. My boss then in turn spends money with decorators, electricians, plumbers, accountant, printing etc. upgrading her business. If Tourism continues to decline then available money into the economy will decline and more than direct Tourist related businesses will be affected.
Comments like no 4 show the ignorance of the benefits of a tourism industry in an island economy
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We have been coming to Jersey at least once a year for the past twenty years. We love it to bits even though we have noticed an awful lot of changes. The prices for one thing. We noticed years ago that the attraction entry prices (e.g. Zoo, Shire Horse Farm, Fantastic Tropical Gardens etc)were much cheaper than on the mainland. Not now, sadly.
There was a lot more accommodation then – it seems that the trend is now to knock down hotels and build luxury flats – who can afford them!
We still love it to bits, though, no matter what.
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‘the ‘Great British Holiday’ is really a thing of the past. People are not likely to take their family to any British resort to get rained on for a week or two, even in August. And that goes double for Jersey which is not cheap, and relatively expensive to get to.’
Actually the number of people vacationing in the UK has exploded since the recession began. People can’t afford to go abroad as much due to the weak pound and its now invogue to go on a ‘staycation’.
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I can safely say that the tourism industry is nowhere near dead i work in a hotel located in st helier and we are a seasonal hotel but we are full from the day we opened in march this year and at the moment we are full till the end of september till october if that is dead i am a monkeys uncle
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The shopping centre was supposed to open at Easter 2009.
We are now a year and a half on and really we are not much further forward.
Most of the units are still not rented according to the agent’s website so the autumn is not on as far as I can see and Christmas is looking a bit optimistic.
Maybe Easter 2011 or 2012 or maybe not at all…
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Tourism is NOT going to bring any financial benefits to the island. It is too seasonal to be worth the investment behind it to be an employment and financial gain for the island. The Finance Industry is the highest employer of Jersey people (however you might wish to argue otherwise), and therefore investment should be behind this industry.
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cheaper budget hotels and cheap flights are what are required
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From a purchasing point of view on behalf of the tourists that come to Jersey , the island is seen as a potential shopping holiday with tourists believing that they will be able to purchase items VAT free in comparison to the mainland UK. But in reality, it’s the complete opposite.
For instance, I was shocked to hear that a certain department store on the main street beginning with the letter ‘V’ doesn’t even remove its VAT from imports. That’s 17.5% which can add up after numerous purchases. Yes, there is bound to be the 3% GST, but even 14.5% is still quite a spread. As a resident, this forces me to simply try items out in the stores and then purchase online from the UK where the difference is rarely lower than 30%.
If Jersey tourism want to be reincarnated, they have to review the spending power and requirements of the people they wish to attract to the island. Over the recent years, the weather has not been the best so tourists are no longer spending their well earned holidays on the beach but looking at retail therapy. Three sales with 5% profit is better than one sale with 10%, you need to entice people to impulse buy!
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I lived in Jersey for many years and only left on retiring from the police some years ago. In early August this year I spent eight nights in the very picturesque village of St. Aubin. I stayed in a three star guest house and was more than satified with the prices and the service I received. The restaurants were all brilliant and the prices were about the same as where I live in the U.K.
The island looked lovely and my partner, together with her brother plus sister-in-law, thoroughy enjoyed their experience. Indeed my partner’s brother is a recently retired senior BBC manager and he commented on the excellent venues at Elizabeth Castle, Gorey Caslte, The Maratime Museum, War Tunnels etc.
On another subject of discussion on the JEP discussion board, I have written a critique on some of the island’s public services over the flooding. I have been accused of whinging – well I won’t whinge about the facilities for tourists in Jersey. Yes some of the attractions have gone, but others have been improved.
During our eight day stay, we had just two rainy days and I still managed to get a tan. You moaners just don’t know what a beautiful place you live in. For me the island is still, “This precious stone set in the silver sea….”
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jersey has beautiful scenery and decent restaurants
it should build upon this to attract sophisticated visitors.
that means sensitive development, zero tolerance of thuggishness, encouraging small producers and artisans to develop niche selling opportunities.
the states are woeful at this.
could even legalise drugs and aim for the modern youth market – surfing and smoking dope at st ouens in a nice chill out zone on the beach is a usp that would put jersey on the map.
but the idea that if only jersey had cheaper shopping people would be here in hordes is plain daft.
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Airport taxes are too high = prevents people from coming.
Airport won’t reduce taxes as too few coming, hence the circular argument of why it’s so bloody expensive to fly here.
If they can’t get here, they can’t spend here. If they can’t spend here, attractions close. If they do come over here, they see the prices the same as at home, or more expensive (Exile81 provides a more indepth examination). Furthermore, our highstreet looks much like that of any other home counties small town, so diminishing chance of spending.
Jersey is truly beautiful with so much to offer but the market forces will push people away.
Take the gamble and lower airport taxes, be true to the removal of VAT (i.e don’t utilise stealth costs (shipping cough cough)) and aggressively market. You have to spend money to make money, you silly sausages.
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Finance or Tourism? ….Jersey needs both. Finance could be relocated to another tax haven, however the islands USP i.e. an easy to reach holiday location would be much needed if finance was to migrate to a cheaper location.
To promote the island Tourism could develop a
‘Club Jersey’ idea with special deals for club members. This perhaps could include a points system for those who may wish to live here based on the number of visits they make. As for tourism being a few months of the year, this is backward thinking, every season has its special events and every type of holiday break adventure needs to be developed. When this type of thinking is engaged the weather etc. soon gets forgoten and business will grow.
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I think that this isn’t totally Jersey’s fault. I know a lot of the attractions have closed down but if you plan on spending a week here there is plenty to do / see.
With the current economic climate, many more people are holidaying in the UK which means simply driving to the South West (or just the coast in general) – cheaper, more convenient, more or less the same weather. If you’re going to bother / pay to fly, you might as well sit on a plane for another 90 mins and end up in Malaga.
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Let’s start by investing in a casino! This is a no brainer!
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Apart from the expensive landing fees and high cost of flying here the most serious damage done to Jersey’s tourism this year is from Condor ferries.
Many of my guests won’t come back because of the ferries constant delays.
It’s been horrendous for most of the high season, they arrive here very late into the night after many hours of extra travel, tired and unhappy. It takes them a day to recover and as the average stay is 4 nights that’s 25pc of their holiday wasted. Rip-off fares, shabby customer care, no refunds.
And then when they go home its the same problems all over again, they have to wait at Elizabeth terminal into the early hours because of more delays.
We try so damn hard to give them a happy holiday but it’s all for nothing if the islands government doesn’t make an effort to help.
Please States sort out the travel mess and we’ll do the rest.
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#30 ‘Let’s start by investing in a casino! This is a no brainer!’
Casinos and no brainers certainly go together!
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Rt (31)
Why “invest” in a casino? Why not just allow any company that will pay taxes in Jersey to establish one? It is not complex.
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Donald Pond: Reason why I suggest investing in a casino, is the States will reap more from the returns from tourists etc., than simply taxes. I see your point, and would be happy with a company to establish one if they pay taxes. Either way, we should get one. Six of one, half dozen of the other. The only other reason is for a state owned casino, managed by a casino oeprator would assist in the whole control function when it relates to ‘undesirables’…
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My wife and I are in our sixties and stay in Glasgow.
Our daughter is married to a Jersey “bean” and we have 2 “bean” grandchildren.
We try to visit as often as possible but our main problem is the cost of flights; infrequency of direct flights from Glasgow and the ridiculous scrapping of the reciprocal health arrangements.
The health insurance that we have to buy is only going to increase as we get older.
I think that the “States” should consider making special arrangements for close family members who visit frequently!!!!!
The abolition of the RHA also applies when our family visit us.
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Following on from Cal – comment 10.
Having spent a couple of years also living in Orlando I have done my best to get the American friends I made to come and visit Jersey. So far I’ve managed to get 4 of them to make the trip and without fail, every single one of them has fallen in love with this island.
When living here it is so easy to take what we have for granted. Yes, many of the attractions from the “golden years” have closed but tourists are more sophisticated these days and want to absorb the culture and the scenery. Sadly something like the Fantastic Tropical Gardens probably wouldn’t cut the mustard these days now most of us have been to “proper” theme parks.
Also I know price comes in to play but people on this board seem to make out that price is the be all and end all. I certainly don’t make my holiday choices based on price. Of course it is often a factor, I’m no millionaire, but other factors come into play. Sure, for £300 you can get an all in package with late night charter flights and 2 hour coach transfers to a very basic 2 star hotel on the Med and eat chicken and chips all week but I think Jersey offers something better than that.
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I spend most summer holidays on the island visiting family and friends. Undoubtedly the island is still beautiful although becoming noticeably more congested. I have two points: 1)As an earlier poster identified historically Jersey was an attractive destination as it offered ‘Duty Free’ shopping. In the 80′s it was still possible to buy a pint and a packet of cigarettes for less than £1 whereas on the mainland that would have been closer to £5. Perfumes,cameras and other luxury items were also noticeably cheaper. NOT NOW!! 2)Many of my aquaintances on the mainland wish to visit Jersey but due to the general reduction in attention span see it as a short break destination. Fly in Thursday night/Friday am and return Sunday pm. This is where Jersey Tourism should concentrate. Finally congratulations to Gorey for keeping it’s fantastic evening atmosphere with some live music and a genuinely cosmopolitan feel.
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I have been visiting Jersey for the last 7 years. I will be there again later in September. A week self catering with flights has cost us £1000 for 2 adults. This is so expensive and I fear this may be our last visit to Jersey. We usually stay in a well known hotel but this year it would cost us £600 more than we paid last year. Jersey is a lovely place to take a holiday and I will miss it terribly but having a holiday in Jersey has become such an expensive luxury.
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There was a time fishing and knitting were imperative to the economy,then agriculture was the major earner,then \Tourism earning and employing.then finance….it would be folly indeed not to try to breathe renewed life into Tourism..as the world becomes increasingly foul and dangerous in places….the islands cleanliness and beauty,combined with proximity..if properly handled by pro’s could bring much needed financial/social backup….
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truthseeker – you agree with me then – lets get tourism back up with financial and social backup. The only way: It is time for a casino!
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