Agenda 2019

  http://www.channelonline.tv/channelonline_jerseynews/displayarticle.asp?id=509441 Condor granted a five year temporary extension to their operating license.    Economic Development Minister Alan McClean   What "further negotiations " are necessary? What further considerations need to be considered? The ships are dirty and grubby, the reclining seats  are mostly broken and remain un repaired. The service is unreliable, and that is not only due to the weather. The cost of traveling on Condor is extortionate. What more is there to understand or talk about? Condor ferries Another report in today's channelonline.tv states that the number of visitors to Jersey has declined by 40% since 2000. Taking into consideration that more the 70% of Jersey visitors come from mainland UK, it is not unreasonable to assume that the cost of travel to the Island is a significant contribution to the falling tourist numbers. Under these circumstances, the decisi...

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/11/15/london-cyclists-a-wobble-from-disaster_n_4280102.html?utm_hp_ref=uk  Cyclists are "one wobble" from disaster on London's roads   A ride through the country lanes.   Cyclists are "one wobble" from disaster on many roads and not only in London. In the narrow hedge lined country lanes around here, particularly in the summer months, many visiting tourists take to their two wheels and seem to develop a mind set that lures them into believing that they are invincible and that they can peddle around the twisty lanes with high leafy hedges and overhanging tree branches with complete impunity from dangers and oblivious to the fact that farm vehicles or vehicles of local residents and commercial delivery vehicles also use these lanes between villages or between fields. It is sadly, sometimes the case that a "holiday in the country" turns into a painful, traumatic (or worse) experience.

  http://www.channelonline.tv/channelonline/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=506659 Attempts to hold on to Jersey's tourism industry   For all intents and purposes, the problems that the States has in the tourist sector are entirely of their own making. All it seems has been sacrificed on the altar of "Finance" at the expense first of agriculture and then tourism. It seems to me that the vision of creating a Dubai type Island off the coat of France full of exclusive hotels, rich financiers, Corporate Banks and luxury accommodation was only ever a wishful thinking mirage, and in pursuit of that dream the Island has fallen between stools and now has an identity crisis of huge proportions. The historic skills of agriculture have been irretrievably lost and traditional tourist accommodation has been closed or demolished to make way for "prestigious" projects. The lack of tourists in Jersey has little to do with the weather, perhaps something to do with the recess...

http://www.channelonline.tv/channelonline_jerseynews/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=505848 Calls for Jersey to invest more in tourism The problem is that Jersey is pricing itself out of the tourism market. The reasons for this situation are complex and varied.The cost of getting to the Island, by sea or air, is expensive and then the prices of the traditional tourist attractions (those that are still left that is), make a day out for Mum Dad and two children rather prohibitive. It has been said that air travel to Jersey is cheaper than Malaga or Ibiza for a family of Mum Dad and two children. That may well be the case but when the complete cost, including car hire and accommodation is considered, the all up cost of a holiday in jersey is considerably more expensive. The same family, coming by sea with their own car, would pay £595 just for the travel cost. On arrival, the family would quickly become aware that prices are higher than they expected. The days of duty ...

http://www.channelonline.tv/channelonline_jerseynews/displayarticle.asp?id=504392#comments Tourism in Jersey has been on a steady decline for ten years but back in the island’s hay day, the tourism industry was booming. Condor Ferries Arrivals  Is Jersey pricing itself out of the tourism market? The short answer is of course, Yes. However, the reasons for this situation are complex and varied.The cost of getting to the Island, by sea or air, is expensive and then the prices of the traditional tourist attractions (those that are still left that is), make a day out for Mum Dad and two children rather prohibitive. The article mentions the fact that air travel to Jersey is cheaper than Malaga or Ibiza for a family of Mum Dad and two children. That may well be the case but when the complete cost, including car hire and accommodation is considered, the all up cost of a holiday in jersey is considerably more expensive. The same family, coming by sea with th...

http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/10017835.OLYMPIC_LEGACY__Weymouth_and_Portland_hotels_missed_third_of_expected_guests/?ref=mr  HOTELIERS and guesthouse owners failed to attract a third of staying visitors during the Games Hotels on Weymouth   This comes as no surprise to anyone. Prior to the Games, Weymouth and Portland Council  ran, as it turned out, a very successful publicity campaign advising people all over the country to avoid Weymouth traffic congestion during the course of the Olympic sailing events. The discovery of cracks in the ferry terminal also came at a fortuitous time for the Council, resulting in Condor Ferries being prevented from using the terminal  prior to the Games commencing and for the duration of the events. However, the subsequent decision to prevent Condor using Portland as an alternative terminal while the repairs were carried out, on the grounds that "the increase in traffic through the town (Weymouth), would cause severe ...

http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/10017816.OLYMPIC_LEGACY__The_thousands_who_did_not_turn_up_in_Weymouth_and_Portland/?ref=mr VISITOR numbers to the Olympic sailing events in Weymouth and Portland failed to meet expectations following years of building up to the 2012 Games. Weymouth during the Olympics  No matter what spin County council leader and transport spokesman Angus Campbell may try to put on it, the failure of the Olympic Games in Weymouth was the result of a classic example of councils "shooting themselves in the foot"...........again!

  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-jersey-19609680  The number of people travelling to Jersey in July was down by 10.6% on the same time last year.  A Jersey Tourism spokesman said  16% fewer people travelled to Jersey by ferry in July compared with the same time last year.And 18,500 fewer people chose to travel here by ferry in the first seven months of 2012.   This is hardly surprising. The cost of getting to the Island, by sea or air, is expensive and then the prices of the traditional tourist attractions (those that are still left that is), make a day out for Mum Dad and two children rather prohibitive. The days of duty and tax free goods, spirits and cigarettes are a distant memory, with a bottle of wine being around the same price on the Island as it is in our local Morrisons supermarket. I remember not too long ago, paying more for a litre of petrol on La Route des Quennevais than at Tesco in Dorchester, but sanity now seems to...

  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-jersey Jersey Tourism is spending £250,000 on extra TV advertising in the UK after a drop in visitors. Having been a frequent visitor to Jersey since the days of Caledonian Princess, Earl Godwin, Corbiere etc (and we were passengers on the last sailing of the Havelet. It was very rough, but that is another story), it seems to me to be rather optimistic of Jersey Tourism to hope for some tangible return on their £250,000 TV campaign. Over the years, I have witnessed a significant decline in visitors specifically from the UK. I am unable to comment on the visitor numbers from Europe, but I would imagine that the same situation applies. In my view, there are a number of factors contributing to this decline. The provision of accommodation in the traditional tourist sector, the Guest House and small hotel range has been decimated. On each visit, there have been numerous examples of this type of accommodation disap...