POOR summer weather and the rising cost of living have resulted in a mixed season for the Island’s hotels and guest houses, with some reporting fewer last-minute bookings and suffering from cancellations owing to ferry disruption.
Following a wet, cloudy and often cool two months – in stark contrast to the record-breaking summer of last year – a number of businesses have said they have been left with empty rooms. Figures show it was the Island’s wettest July since 2007.
Richard Huson, manager of the Undercliff Guest House in Bouley Bay, said rainy and windy conditions had not resulted in a ‘tragedy’ for booking numbers, but that they had impacted ‘last-minute business’.
He added: ‘If it was 30°C now, like last summer, I’m sure we’d have more demand for those last few rooms. There are a couple of empty rooms that would have filled up and sold easier if the weather had been really great. Luckily, most people book a long way in advance, and we’re not really weather-dependent.’
The greatest impact on slightly lower booking numbers this summer, he said, was ‘rising interest rates’, which had led to cost-of-living pressures and families sacrificing holidays for mortgage payments.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for L’Horizon Beach Hotel and Spa in St Brelade’s Bay said there had been some last-minute cancellations this year.
She said: ‘We’re still having guests come in, but there have been a few cancellations over the last few weeks due to the weather and the ferry being cancelled.
‘We have also had to close the outdoor eating areas [because of strong winds] several times, which left us with only inside dining.’
Daniel Nicholson, from Beuvelande Campsite in St Martin, said that a few guests had left early owing to the poor weather conditions, while some had never made it to Jersey in the first place and therefore cancelled their bookings.
He explained: ‘Because the ferry was cancelled, they couldn’t bring their campervans. Most of them tried to move their bookings but some couldn’t and had to cancel the entire trip.
‘We keep our land pretty well organised so it’s not too muddy here and because it’s camping, most people enjoy this weather or at least expect it. They know we can’t always guarantee great weather.’
He said the weather had impacted the tourist season but added: ‘There are so many other things that can affect it too. This just comes with the business, and everything affects tourism. It’s a tough industry.’
Accommodation providers and tourist attractions across the British Isles have endured a difficult summer, with relentless downpours and cooler-than-average conditions reducing demand.
Earlier in August, The Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, which counts the National Trust, English Heritage and zoos among its members, said it was having ‘quite a tough time’.
On a more positive note, though, Jelena Jelisejeva, of the Franklyn Guest House in St Helier, said she was ‘booked up until October’ with guests from the Netherlands, France, Germany and further afield from Asian countries such as Thailand.
‘It has been a very good season so far, and I’m happy and proud of the work my staff have been doing and grateful to all those who visit and write nice reviews,’ she said.
