Where have they gone?

[eastrock]

Why have all the tourists deserted us? Is it just too expensive to get here, stay here? Is there nothing for them? Have they all died? What do you think?

[Jersey Forum Admin]

Well, my first hand experience with tourists has told me that quite simply we destroyed the very aspects of the island which attracted them, and became so were preoccupied with that destruction, that we let the entire industry whither and die.

You see, I was working in a shop in the early 1990's. At that time the island still had a noticeable tourist industry, and the shop I worked in attracted as many tourists as locals, probably more on weekdays. And that was the time when redevelopment of this island began in earnest.

Those tourists were aged between 40 to OAP, they were invariably couples, the bread and butter of a big chunk of the tourist market. We'd get talking and almost without fail they'd tell me they had been visiting the island annually, in some cases since the late 1940's. I'd always ask them the obvious question "So, you'll be back next year then?". And that summer, I can't remember one single person saying "yes".

And the reason? "It's too much like being back at home now. There's no point coming any more."

And here we are, in the next century, and so much has changed that their corner of the market no longer exists. So that's one percentage lost for good.

How about families? Again, the island has changed so much, it's just not a bucket-and-spade destination anymore . Couple that with the fact that you get a two of weeks of guaranteed sun and fun in Spain or somewhere similar for less than the cost of a week here...that's another percentage of the market lost for good.

As much as people want to build adventure centres and glorified ferris wheels with the claim of them attracting tourism, we've completely lost the bulk of any regular tourist intake. And we're fast heading toward the stage of being able to offer nothing but a small selection of niche attractions....some may say we've reached that point already...

[eastrock]

It's a pretty fickle industry. You have to keep investing to attract your chosen clientèle. I have never seen any one at the departure gates of the airport or harbours, asking holiday makers what they thought. What they would like to see. Would they come again, etc. Where is the market research? If we want a tourist industry, we need to understand it and how it develops as people's expectations change.

[davroslesueur]

"We" may want it.
I somehow doubt the powers that be do, unless they plan to organise open top tours of the finance areas and the "wonderful" architecture that will be on view in 'Financeplade Quarter'

[Bea]

They all seem to be on my bus in the morning .Complete with walking sticks,and the usual beige uniform.
This appears to be the best we can do.
They do nto come here for cheapness any more,although tour operators and Condor offer some good deals to encourage them here.
Think the majority who visit Jersey on holiday ,are here because they have family settled here.

[crappogre]

Our wonderful States taxed Tourism out of existance. By overspending they required more tax income, and with some misguided belief that a government has a Nanny State duty to tax 'harmful' practices to discourage people indulging, decided to raise taxes on booze and fags year after year. Consequently the island was no longer a place to have a good time on the cheap (what with Finance over-heating the economy and raising prices everywhere too) so it's no wonder they stay away. There's still enough unique character to enjoy here, but the high prices made the last visitors so grumpy that they picked holes in what ever they could, rather than admit that it's all just too expensive.

[eastrock]

Well prices are not going to drop. So is that it now as far as tourism goes? Or do the states need to invest to attract a different type of tourist? Who could they appeal to?

[Jersey Forum Admin]

Jul 5, 2008 10:39:54 GMT @eastrock said:

Or do the states need to invest to attract a different type of tourist? Who could they appeal to?

Those are the big questions, and what we seem to be seeing now is a lean toward the former, what with the huge States support for Les Ormes.

The problem with going down that route is that you end up with a lot of niche attractions, which unless you develop the whole island in that manner, don't add up to much overall trade. And of course, if you do choose to develop the island in that manner, you have to do it wholesale to make it worthwhile, and as a result Jersey becomes nothing but a theme park with houses.

I believe that until fairly recently there was still hope of attracting traditional tourism, if the States had been willing to subsidise certain sections of the industry to ensure prices were kept competitive.

However, the direction taken by the States over just the past couple of years has killed that chance, stone dead. The island's lower-price and mid-price hotels have been dropping like flies, whilst meanwhile in St. Helier the States have been focusing on creating a very pale imitation of Monte Carlo (minus the gambling, of course!).

We now find ourselves in the position of having an ever dwindling infrastructure for low-mid priced tourism (an excellent source of regular returnees), and a growing climate designed to attract the wealthy (short stay, usually business only).

And because the traditional tourist model has been all but deactivated and decomissioned, when the businessmen stop coming (as they will when the Finance industry start packing their bags), the island won't be able to fall back on traditional style tourist custom, because the hotels and attractions targeting that market will all be long gone.

Quite simply the tourist industry has been mismanaged on a grand scale, but the real impact of that won't be felt until the Finance industry decides it's time to leave, which one day it will....by which time, on a political level, the people who created the problem will probably be safely out of the picture.