STAFF at two Island hotels have had their hours cut due to what a hotel chain described as “challenging market headwinds and reduced guest demand”.
Hand Picked Hotels said it had been a “tough decision” to reduce hours for some employees at L’Horizon in St Brelade and the Grand Jersey in St Helier by up to 12.5% “in the short-term”.
A spokesperson for the hotel chain said: “This is not a decision we have taken lightly and it does not affect the £3 per hour pay rise implemented for all employees in 2022.”
The group has 21 hotels in total, including its two in Jersey, two in Guernsey and one in Alderney. It is understood the potential reduction in hours for some Channel Islands’ staff will apply until the end of March.
Robert Mackenzie, managing director of CI Travel Group, said that the early months of the new year had traditionally been slow, and that the challenges were greater than ever in 2025.
“It seems that booking patterns have returned to normal levels following the Covid period,” he said. “After the pandemic, people had money they’d saved up and were desperate to get away, which had a positive impact on 2022 and 2023, and to some extent even last year.
“Now we are back to a more ‘normal’ booking pattern, except there’s a cost-of-living crisis.
“When money is tight, people will still try and make sure they can take a ‘main’ holiday in the summer, but may decide they can’t afford a discretionary short break to somewhere like Jersey.”
The statement issue by Hand Picked Hotels continued: “Unfortunately, the hospitality industry continues to face increases in [UK] government-imposed costs year after year, as showcased by the latest Budget.
“In the face of these challenges, the industry needs to work together to advocate for solutions and look for opportunities to become more resilient, ensure longevity and enable sustainable growth in the years ahead.”
The company added that it “remains committed to our people and to delivering the best possible service to our guests”.
Both Visit Jersey and the Jersey Hospitality Association declined to comment on the Hand Picked decision. However, Visit Jersey highlighted some of its promotional activity for 2025, which began last month.
A series of joint marketing campaigns have been launched with major travel brands including Expedia, Hotels.com, easyJet Holidays, Jet2 and Blue Islands, while marketing for spring/summer 2025 is due to launch in mid-January, targeting visitors from the UK, France and Germany.
