Many thanks for all those of you who were able to attend our members meeting on 12th April at St Martins Community Centre. The committee were delighted by the turnout and your support for the work we are trying to do. Your feedback as always is crucial.
We are trying to produce a regular newsletter but as you all know time is tight at this time of year and we all must concentrate on recovery so that will have to wait. However in the meantime I have a number of updates which I must share.
Hannah's call for positive messaging on social media and your response has been very successful and noticeable. Visit Guernsey and the States Communication Team are very pleased with the support and we all would like to encourage you to continue to support the positive message around Tourism and Cruise Visits.
We have had some success with the redundant signage issue and we have have been told that Traffic and Highways will take responsibility for removing redundant signage. Please email traffic@gov.gg if you notice any signage that is no longer relevant. Scaffolding is also an issue and we continue to work with Traffic and highways and our other contacts to try and improve the situation.
We are pleased with the way that the cruise ship operation at the Pier is working at the moment. Isabel and her harbour team and other states departments are being quite open and communicating well. Visit Guernsey at our request have asked the teams for some of the most asked questions (initial feedback below) We would be very interested in your views on what visitors are asking. Please let me know your thoughts on this if you can. We will definitely review this post season.
Food - what do passengers want and their comments
Local seafood (comments: that it’s difficult to find and they have to read menus rather than see it advertised)
Fish and chips
Cream tea (comments: often wanted earlier in the day to go back to ship before usual time)
Coffee and cake
Guernsey ice cream (comments: not easily found)
Drinks outside
Fruit bread (Gache)
Passengers don't want a big meal but are keen to try local food and drink. They find this difficult to find in St Peter Port.
Attractions
Most seem to know where they want to go. Favourite places so far this year, Castle Cornet, Military Museum, Candie Gardens (surprisingly a lot of enquiries about 'the Gardens in St Peter Port' but it appears that Princess are showing a video which includes Candie).
A lot of enquiries about German Occupation locations.
Shopping
Most people will ask where the shopping area is but also Marks and Spencer, Boots, Sports Direct are asked for by name and not just British pax. Jewellers, duty free (for cigarettes) chemists and souvenir shops. Local shops, not UK brands.
Local buses continue to be popular but we are surprised to see that being asked by non British. Historically, it was the British that wanted the local buses but we are now seeing other nationalities asking. Not sure if the ships are talking about buses in their Port Information.
Sea-trade Cruise Global Conference
Amanda recently attended this very important event and has the following feedback which we will follow up on in due course:
The cruise companies that I met who already visit Guernsey are very complimentary of the island and welcome received
The cruise companies that I met who do not currently visit Guernsey are very interested and wish to learn more about what we have to offer
We must be aware that we cannot offer the same product to every cruise line, the upmarket lines wish their guests to receive something "a little different" whether that be access to places not usually open to the public, or an enhanced experience of something that is already provided. We need to come up with ideas/proposals to put to the excursion agents.
There are many ports around the world vying for cruise business, hence we must not be complacent with our product or service.
I wish you all a busy season and please let me or any GTP committee member know of any issues that effect you, your businesses or the tourism industry in general if you feel we may be able to help. We will continue to work on your behalf.
Ant Ford Parker
Chair
Guernsey Tourism Partnership
