THE government and DFDS have been urged to work together to make sure that sea passenger numbers do not just match previous figures but “exceed” them to help the Island’s struggling tourism and hospitality industry.
Jersey Hospitality Association said that some areas of their sector faced “significant financial pressures” in 2025, especially businesses reliant on advance bookings from continental Europe, with rising operating costs also meaning it was “increasingly difficult” for businesses to be competitive.
Overall passenger numbers fell by 7% to 629,901 compared to 2024, according to recently released figures.
Sea passengers dropped by 30% to 105,451 up to May 2025 – a period during which DFDS took over running Jersey’s ferry services from Condor – compared to the same time last year.
The Danish ferry firm was forced to postpone fast-ferry services to St Malo at the end of March by two weeks following a technical issue with a ramp on Tarifa Jet.
There was a 28% fall in French passengers to 64,693 up to May this year, a 10% drop in UK passengers to 29,473 and a 61% decline in passengers from Guernsey to 11,285.
Visitor numbers were also down on last year, falling by 7,400 to 94,800, as of April.
In a joint statement, JHA co-chief executives Ana and Marcus Calvani said that 2025 was “shaping up to be a pivotal year for sea travel”, highlighting the increase in operators – with Brittany Ferries, DFDS, Manche Ile Express and Islands Unlimited now providing weekly or daily inter-island services – “marking a major shift in connectivity”.
The co-chief executives also described the States vote to extend the French ID day-tripper scheme as a “welcome step” which “should help rebuild confidence and encourage more visitors from our closest neighbours”.
But they cautioned: “The southern sea route has seen a notable decline in early 2025, resulting in a drop in visitor numbers. While efforts are already underway to recover this lost ground, we urge the government and DFDS to work together strategically – not just to restore previous volumes, but to exceed them. We are confident the right teams are in place to make this happen.
“Some areas of the hospitality industry have faced significant financial pressures this year, particularly those traditionally reliant on advance group bookings from continental Europe. Alongside rebuilding that market, we must also tackle the ongoing rise in operating costs that is making it increasingly difficult for businesses to remain competitive.”
The statement continued: “Above all, the concept of value must be central to our visitor proposition – at every price point. We must invest in our product and refresh the offering to meet visitor expectations and match the cost to the consumer.
“While an increased budget for Visit Jersey is critical, it must go hand-in-hand with broader structural reforms. If we don’t address the cost of doing business, enhance the value perception of Jersey as a destination and remove the barriers our members face, even the most compelling marketing campaign will struggle to deliver results.”
KPIs
Economic Development Minister Kirsten Morel recently published DFDS’ first set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for cancellation and delays over a three-month period. Deputy Morel described the Danish ferry firm’s overall performance as “positive” but freight was singled out as an “exception” due to higher levels of disruption.
