First-time visitor numbers fall

Guernsey is attracting between 320,000 and 330,000 people a year

A study into Guernsey's tourism industry has shown a significant fall in the number of first-time visitors.

The annual report, by the island's tourism industry, looked at the number and type of tourists who visit.

It shows just under a third of 2003's holidaymakers were on their first trip, compared with half in 2002.

But the overall number of people coming to the island has remained fairly static at between 320,000 and 330,000 people over the past five years.

Self-catering accommodation

The study said in the future it was vital for Guernsey to attract younger first time holidaymakers because of the older age profile of most tourists.

However, the island is having to turn some tourists away because there is not enough self-catering accommodation on the island.

Visit Guernsey Chief Executive Stuart Pinnell said he had seen a high demand for families seeking self-catering, but it was fully booked.

He said: "There are a lot of people who, rather than having longer holidays, are taking more shorter breaks in the year.

"We attract those people, but we have a challenge in accommodating them because we are desperately short of the thing that they are looking, which is for self-catering accommodation."

Meanwhile, a Sark hotelier is calling for the States of both Guernsey and Jersey to make it more affordable to travel to the Channel Islands.

Paul Armorgie of Stocks Hotel said the 2004 tourist season had so far been a challenge with differences in booking patterns and fewer visitors.

He said he believed the islands had suffered over the last few years due to the growth of discount airlines.

He said: "Although they offer convenient flying from local airports to interesting destinations. But those destinations are often not the Channel Islands.

"I'd like to see the States address this and targeting regional airports around the UK."