The local government of Guernsey is planning to form a new body charged with the specific role of better promoting the second largest of the Channel Islands as a tourism destination.
The government will have some minimal input, but the proposed new Tourism Management Board will act as a largely independent body.
Speaking to the BBC, Neil Inder, president of Guernsey’s Committee for Economic Development, said: “I don’t think government are the right people to be marketing the island. The only obvious alternative is to put it out to an industry-led board or at least people outside of government.”
“We need someone outside of politics who can look at the market, develop objectives, develop a strategy and lead the whole of that incredibly important industry forward and be able to put that team together below him or her,” Mr Inder said.
Sometimes overshadowed by its larger neighbour, Jersey, Guernsey is arguably most notable for its picturesque capital St Peter Port.
Mr Inder said Guernsey’s tourism industry has recovered well from the Covid pandemic and has a positive outlook for next year, but that it is important for that recovery to be managed correctly.
“Forward bookings are looking fairly good for next year so they’re not starting from a base of zero. The challenge will be to maintain the recovery out of Covid,” Mr Inder said.
The island’s new tourism development agency will have an initial budget of just under £1.9m for next year, with an additional events budget of £140,000.
