Ferry Operator Warns of Tourist Exodus Amid Channel Islands Contract Delay

Ferry companies and various business associations have called for an “immediate” decision regarding the selection of the operator for Channel Islands ferry services starting in March. Brittany Ferries, Condor Ferries, the Jersey Chamber of Commerce, and the Jersey Hospitality Association (JHA) issued a statement asserting that the “prolonged impasse” in awarding the contract was “detrimental” to the tourism sector. Christophe Mathieu, chief executive of Brittany Ferries and Condor Ferries, stated that tourists would “go elsewhere.” Deputy Kirsten Morel, the Minister for Sustainable Economic Development, commented that the government was undertaking an “extremely important and complex commercial decision, and we need to get it right.” He affirmed: “We recognise the importance of this decision to all islanders, and we’re committed to securing a reliable and resilient ferry service for the next decade and beyond.” He added: “Detailed consideration is being given to the submitted bids and we will be making an announcement very soon.” Condor Ferries’ existing operating agreements with Jersey and Guernsey are scheduled to conclude on 27 March 2025, with the successful bidder expected to manage the services for 15 years. The governments of Jersey and Guernsey have been contacted for their comments. It is understood that the three companies that have submitted bids for the contract are Condor, Danish shipping company DFDS, and Irish Ferries. The ferry firms and business groups indicated that the bidding process, which commenced in May, is now nearly a month behind schedule. Bidders were initially informed that the contract would be awarded by the end of September at the latest, they noted in a statement. Mr. Mathieu mentioned that individuals working in the local tourism industry, alongside ferry staff and crews, were “enduring a very unsettling time with understandable concerns around their future.” He further stated that there had been no bookings for Channel Islands services in 2025, describing this as “a direct consequence of delays and uncertainty in the tender process.” “We worry that those considering a holiday in these beautiful destinations will simply go elsewhere,” he remarked. Marcus Calvani, representing the JHA, expressed concern over the delayed announcement. He articulated: “Confidence is what is critical for our industry right now, it’s already an incredibly challenging trading time for the hospitality industry on our island.” Calvani continued: “It’s extremely hard to be focusing on growth in our industry when we’ve got such uncertainty with the transportation links with our boats service.” Mr. Calvani reported that JHA members were anxious about their future bookings. He observed: “They’ve seen a downturn in their bookings and I think it’s not a great time for us to be delaying this process any further.” Guernsey’s Chamber of Commerce acknowledged that making “significant decisions affecting our community takes time” but asserted that the “overdue decision” was “now impacting business operations.” It stated: “A timely resolution is crucial, as local businesses need clarity to make informed plans and investments for the upcoming year.” The Chamber further urged: “We urge all relevant parties to prioritise this matter, ensuring that our business community can move forward with confidence and stability in planning for the future.” Hannah Beacom from Guernsey’s Tourism Management Board characterized the situation regarding the announcement as “delay upon delay.” She explained: “It’s really impacting us at the moment because obviously there’s no timetables published for next season, that means no one can book if they want to come here by ferry.” Beacom added: “It effectively means currently we’re closed for business.” Ms. Beacom described the situation as “extremely frustrating.” She concluded: “We have agents that want to book, we have clients that want to book. We’d love to see an announcement much sooner rather than later.” For updates, BBC Guernsey and BBC Jersey can be followed on X and Facebook. Story ideas may be submitted to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external sites. Further information on our approach to external linking is available.