Guernsey’s game plan
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This year Visit Guernsey launched a 10-year blueprint for tourism industry growth identifying the steps the destination will take to further boost its appeal and ramp up visitor numbers to island.
The Guernsey Tourism Strategic Plan 2015-2025 outlines its top five goals for the next decade whereby Visit Guernsey with engage key tourism stakeholders on the island, as well as the travel trade in its number one source market, the UK, with a view attracting 400,000 tourists by 2025.
Here, in a quick interview with TDUK, the strategic plan’s author, Mike Hopkins, the director for marketing & tourism at Visit Guernsey, provides insight into Guernsey’s appeal, its new themed events schedule and the tourism blueprint’s main objectives.
TDUK: What are Guernsey’s key source markets for business?
Mike Hopkins: Nearly 90% of all visitors to Guernsey are from just three countries; 70% are from the UK, 11% are from Jersey and 8% from France. Around 5% of visitors are from Germany and 1% from The Netherlands. In 2014, 309,950 visitors came to Guernsey, up 2.5% on 2013 (302,400 visitors) and of these the majority, 136,050 visitors, were leisure guests while 56,200 were visiting friends and relatives.
The UK visitor market is the main driver for Guernsey’s tourism sector with 61.6% of these tourists aged between 40 and 65 and 25% aged over 65. Our core market is affluent, active, cultured empty nesters with a propensity to take a number of short breaks and holidays each year, however, during the peak months we are targeting the 33 to 44 age group comprising singles and families interested in food and other activities.
What are your growth targets and objectives?
In 2015 we are aiming for 320,000 visitors with a GDP contribution of £4 million, rising to 350,000 (£14.8 million) in 2020 and 400,000 (£32.8 million) in 2025. Our vision is to be a top destination of choice, ensuring that every visitor is delighted with their trip to the Bailiwick of Guernsey. Our overall mission is to deliver a unique archipelago experience that offers exceptional value for money and a world-class customer service.
Tell us about Guernsey’s burgeoning cruise passenger business?
More than 110 cruise liners stop in Guernsey each year – that’s 130,000 passengers coming on shore to explore the island. It’s a market we are trying to target by encouraging these cruise visitors to come back for a holiday on the island at a later date. We are working with the trade and cruise companies to put together some effective marketing strategies. We have started providing cruise passengers with free WiFi at the pontoon when they arrive, which directs them to the Visit Guernsey website, but also allows us to capture their data for marketing purposes. We are also hoping to receive more cruise visits; the cruise lines like Guernsey stopovers because we offer a safe mooring and the journey by tender is just 15 minutes from boat to port.
How do UK visitors travel to Guernsey and what new options are on offer?
Most scheduled flights to and from Guernsey are operated by Guernsey-based airlines, Aurigny and Blue Islands, but UK-based Flybe operates services from many major gateways across the UK too. In 2014, 60% of visitors travelled by air and 34% by sea. The new Condor Ferries three-hour service from Poole, Dorset, to Guernsey, operated by the Austal 102 trimaran named Liberation is definitely good news for the island. We are also receiving more air charter services from European destinations such as Germany, Switzerland and Austria. One of our key strategic aims set out in the Guernsey Tourism Strategic Plan 2015-2025 is to evaluate new sustainable and competitively priced routes from the UK and Europe to the islands.
What other key strategic aims are set out in the plan that will enhance Guernsey’s appeal?
Our strategic aims broadly focus on strengthening the unique product offering of Guernsey and smaller islands such as Alderney, Sark and Herm; delivering an exceptional visitor experience; offering a positive environment for growth and investment; and devising a consistent and compelling marketing message. This year we launched our first promotional TV campaign in the UK to great success, and we plan to run similar media campaigns going forward. We will also be working on joint industry and travel trade initiatives to promote Guernsey to our target visitor markets. One focus will be to promote the entire Channel Islands experience through ‘better together’ messaging, demonstrating what all the islands have to offer. We also feel the island-hopping experience is a USP that is currently under-exploited.
How important are events to Guernsey’s tourism offering and what’s on the agenda for 2015 to 2016?
One of our top priorities is to enhance and promote the islands’ unique product offering and one way we can do that is through events that focus on our core strengths – our history, heritage, food and family experiences. From April 3 to May 11 this year we staged the inaugural Channel Islands Heritage Festival in collaboration with all of the Channel Islands including Jersey. Each day during the festival we ran a number of activities and events appealing to all age groups across all of the islands that pertained to the archipelago’s rich history. The programme of events included guided walks and bike rides, tours of key historical attractions plus fairs, open days and celebrations. We are now planning next year’s heritage festival, which focuses on the islands’ rich maritime history.
In the meantime we are running two big food-focused events for almost a month between September and October, which showcase Guernsey’s delicious cuisine and local produce. The first-ever Guernsey International Food Festival takes place from September 18-27 giving visitors the chance to experience unique dishes, tours and interactive events with celebrity chefs. This will be followed by another culinary celebration, the annual Tennerfest, which takes place from October 1 to 11. Now in its 18th year, the event will see more than 170 restaurants in Guernsey and its sister island of Sark offer three-course menus starting from £10.
GUERNSEY’S TOP SELLING POINTS
The Islands of the Bailiwick: The archipelago of the Bailiwick (Guernsey, Sark, Herm and Alderney) is one of Guernsey’s top selling points with each island offering a unique experience. Guernsey is the ideal base from which to explore every island.
History and heritage: Guernsey’s history dates back thousands of years BC and there is physical evidence on the island to demonstrate this including the prehistoric burial chamber Le Dehus. Fast forward to the 20th century and reminders of Guernsey’s Germany occupation and subsequent liberation are dotted all over the island, from forts to bunkers.
Culture and the arts: Guernsey boasts a burgeoning arts and culture scene, but its most famous attraction to date is Hauteville House in St Peter Port where Les Misérables author Victor Hugo lived for 15 years during his political exile from France in the 19th century. The island has since attracted a number of literary greats and hosts the successful Literary Festival every year.
Sport and leisure: Guernsey is a playground for sea lovers, from yachtsmen and motor cruisers to swimmers and divers, and thanks to its natural beauty and stunning coastline, is also a paradise for walking and cycling enthusiasts. The island runs several sporting events during the year from yacht races to half marathons.
Food and cuisine: Guernsey’s cuisine is one of the island’s best-kept secrets, home to a range of gastronomic experiences, from its delicious creamy diary products, particularly the ice cream, to traditional Guernsey Gâche made from special bread filled with raisins, sultanas and peel (best served with Guernsey butter). But the piece de resistance is the Guernsey seafood platter, brimming with locally caught delights including the crab for which the island is famed.
Floral Guernsey: Guernsey has a long horticultural and floral heritage with many summer festivals dedicated to the display of beautiful blooms including the Battle of the Flowers, which takes place at the end of August each year.
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