Tourism Chief Urges Prompt Release of Ferry Schedules to End Uncertainty

An executive in the tourism sector has indicated that more individuals would opt to visit Guernsey if ferry schedules were made public soon. Residents and businesses are currently awaiting the release of new ferry timetables for journeys scheduled from March onwards. The Committee for Economic Development announced Brittany Ferries, the parent company of Condor, as its preferred bidder last month. Jersey, conversely, has yet to finalize its decision regarding the operator for its sea connections. Hannah Beacom, chair of the Tourism Management Board (TMB), stated that the island would be “open for business” if schedules were announced before its sister island. She suggested that a significant opportunity to enhance the island’s tourism industry could arise if Guernsey published its ferry schedules ahead of Jersey. Ms Beacom noted that the board had requested the timetables be released earlier in the year. However, she cautioned that without connectivity between the islands, “bookings will still sit there as provisional,” and there is a risk that people might choose other destinations. Ms Beacom highlighted the importance of daily trips to both the UK and France for visitors who are awaiting the new ferry schedules. Andrew Chantrell, general manager at the Old Government House and Duke of Richmond hotels and a board member of the Guernsey Hospitality Association, commented: “We want to see the schedule as soon as possible to give people that opportunity.” He added that the association aims to establish a partnership with Brittany Ferries to provide optimal service for customers. According to him, “Timing, delivery and reliability” represent the most crucial elements for the board. Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.