The board’s report, which has been broadly supported by Economic Development Minister Alan Maclean, recommended that a States-funded, independent body be set up to handle promotion of the Island in an attempt to attract more visitors.
This would replace Jersey Tourism. The board hopes the Island could attract one million visitors to Jersey each year within 15 years.
Giving evidence to the Economic Affairs Scrutiny panel this week, Mr Henwood said: ‘We haven’t got the time to think about this for the next three or four years. Government needs to decide whether tourism is really important to our future.
‘If it’s not, then okay, we will muddle along, but if it is, it needs to be shoulder to the wheel.’
He told the panel, chaired by Deputy Steve Luce, that industry experts he had spoken to felt that Jersey was close to a tipping point and that the loss of large hospitality businesses could have a far-reaching effect across the service industry.
