Statistics provided by Visit Jersey show that the number of business visitors to the Island between January and March slumped by 13 per cent compared with the same period last year and the number of visitors coming to Jersey for ‘other reasons’ – such as seeing family or friends – fell by 19 per cent.
Visit Jersey chief executive Keith Beecham declined to comment on whether the fall was due to a much-criticised lack of inter-island travel links with Guernsey but said that he was planning to carry out a survey to investigate the matter.
In the first three months of the year 79,200 people visited the Island compared with 82,600 during the same period in 2016.
The figures showed, however, that the number of leisure visitors in the first quarter of 2017 increased by 12 per cent.
Mr Beecham said that he believed the improved figures were due to Visit Jersey’s efforts to promote the Island as a winter destination.
‘What we have done for the last couple of years is to promote Jersey as a short-break destination,’ he said.
‘I think, through anecdotally talking to hoteliers here, they are getting more leisure visitors throughout the year whereas previously they were staying in the summer months.’
He added that Jersey was being marketed more as an ‘experience’ destination for holidays such as wellness breaks rather than just as a beach-holiday destination.
The total number of ‘staying leisure visitors’, according to the report, was 40,200 for the first three months of the year, compared with 35,800 for the same period in 2016.
‘If you look at 2014, we had 25,247 leisure visitors for the same period, so there has been significant growth over the last few years,’ said Mr Beecham.
He said that he was uncertain why the number of business and other visitors had dropped, but thought it could be partially explained by bad weather in February.
‘There has been a decline in business visitors internationally so it could be a world trend and not just Jersey,’ he added.
‘And I also think that with Brexit a lot of businesses are uncertain and considering things like whether or not they should be taking trips.’
It is estimated that visitors to the Island in the first three months of the year spent £17.7 million while here, with the the average spend per visit being £224 and an average trip length of four nights.
The five busiest ports of entry to Jersey, in order, were London Gatwick, St Malo, Southampton, Guernsey (air and sea) and then Liverpool.
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