Visit Jersey launch ‘try before they fly’ option for potential tourists

• New tactic launched to encourage more tourists to Jersey
• Visit Jersey have launched video experience encouraging potential tourists to ‘try before they fly’
• Would a ‘try before you fly’ video experience make you more likely to visit a new destination?

A NEW tactic to try to encourage more tourists into the Island was due to be launched today as Visit Jersey continue to work towards their target of attracting one million visitors a year to Jersey.

Visit Jersey, who took over from Jersey Tourism last year, are launching an ‘immersive and interactive’ first-person video experience that aims to give potential tourists a chance to ‘try before they fly’.

The short videos, which are part of a campaign by Visit Jersey called ‘Escape to Jersey’, offers potential visitors to the Island the chance to see its best bits from a first person point of view.

By visiting a dedicated website escapetojersey.com holiday makers can choose what they look for from a perfect holiday using a range of sliders and then a video dictated around their selections appears on the screen.

Would-be tourists are asked whether they prefer ‘five stars’ or ‘under the stars’, ‘relaxed’ or ‘energetic’, ‘beach café’ or ‘Michelin Star’, ‘party time’ or ‘time for you’ and ‘bargain hunter’ or ‘buy it anyway’.

Once they have made their selections a customised video appears showing them what Jersey has to offer based on their ideal holiday experience.

A team of local videographers have spent the last three weeks touring the Island, from St Ouen’s Bay to Mont Orgueil Castle, to ‘capture the essence of Jersey in a series of videos’.

Visit Jersey say they intend to add more footage throughout the year.

Adam Caerlewy-Smith, head of marketing for Visit Jersey said the tourism industry is undergoing ‘huge revolutionary change’ in the way it seeks to engage with new visitors.

‘We wanted to challenge people’s perceptions of Jersey and capture rich data which can shape future marketing initiatives,’ he added.

‘The Escape to Jersey campaign puts a little slice of Island life in the palms of potential visitors and shows them what escaping to Jersey really feels like.’

The video can be shared with friends on social media using the hashtag #escapetojersey. Those that view a video will be entered into a competition to win a holiday to the Island.

To watch a video visit escapetojersey.com.

• The creation of a new, independent organisation called Visit Jersey was recommended by the Tourism Shadow Board last March, after they produced a report about the best way forward for the industry.
• The tourism sector has seen visitor numbers decline almost every year since 1997, when 985,000 people visited the Island. By 2012 that number had fallen to 688,000, with similar figures in 2013.
• The board’s report said that the Island’s current tourism model had failed to halt the decline in visitor numbers and that a fresh start was needed.
• It found that there had been a breakdown’ in the relationship between the industry and Jersey Tourism, that poor and inconsistent communication with some parts of the industry had led to a lack of engagement and that there was no viable overall strategic tourism plan.
• But the board said that with drastic changes the Island could be attracting one million people each year.
• Prior to releasing their report, the board, interviewed more than 100 people and organisations to look at what was needed. It found that many members of the tourism sector wanted urgent change and had little confidence in Jersey Tourism’s ability to turn things around.
• The Tourism Shadow Board was chaired by former JT chairman John Henwood and members included Ports of Jersey chief executive Doug Bannister, managing director of La Mare Wine Estate Tim Crowley, Bosdet Foundation general manager Mike Graham, Economic Development chief officer Mike King, Seymour Group chief executive David Seymour and public relations consultant Sam Watts.
• Between 2014 and 2015, local ‘business fixer’ Kevin Keen was drafted in as interim chief executive of Visit Jersey. Mr Keen has now taken up a new role making the States more efficient with the aim of saving millions of pounds for the taxpayer.
• In January it was announced that staff at Jersey Tourism had been given the option of applying for jobs within Visit Jersey, or being redeployed within the civil service. Mr Henwood confirmed that the application process had been carried out by the States human resources department since October and November last year.
• Visit Jersey took over from Jersey Tourism on Monday 30 March.