Patrick Burke said that in order to maintain a strong industry, the government needs to take a ten-year view.
‘We need to look at 2030 and say: “If we’re going to have a great industry, what it is going to need?” That means investment and hoteliers who are literally fighting for survival are not going to be able to fund that. We need to look for long-term financing, whether by development grant-funding, loans or equity investment, because I do believe that, as an industry, we have the potential to come out of this situation stronger than ever. And now is the time to carefully think through a vision for the longer term before the moment is lost,’ he said.
While the industry is focusing on the short-term problem of largely empty hotels during what should be the peak tourist season, Mr Burke said that there was an opportunity for hoteliers and politicians to learn from the crisis and use this to ‘reassess the Island’s values and reset the industry’s course’.
‘One of the things we have learnt is just how critical excellent connectivity is,’ he said. ‘The crisis has underlined more sharply than ever the importance of the work of Ports of Jersey and, more widely than that, we can see how, as a micro economy, everything in Jersey is interconnected. We are incredibly lucky to have the finance, agriculture and hospitality business mix that we do, as these industries have an almost symbiotic relationship, with the visitor economy being the common denominator.
‘Much of the Island’s beauty stems from its farming and fishing heritage, which is a significant attraction to visitors, while the extensive range of first-class restaurants could not exist without Jersey’s world-class produce,’ he continued. ‘Taken together, this provides the infrastructure and supports the flight network upon which the finance sector and the Island’s growing digital sector depend.
‘While the government has identified many opportunities to develop the Island’s finance industry over the years, now is the time to turn to the visitor economy and highlight the abundance of qualities that Jersey has to offer. Not only do we have a tremendous product in terms of safety, culture and history, but we also now have an opportunity to reset our course and come up with a vision which can begin to right the environmental wrongs of the past and lay out the foundations for a truly sustainable and resilient future.
‘The industry has seen some difficult times in recent years but there have been signs that things are changing for the better with pre-pandemic visitor numbers beginning to climb again after many years of decline. Fashions are changing and we are starting to sense a growing desire in our guests to stay closer to home as they search out authentic local experiences and look to travel more sustainably. Jersey is an ideal destination for “slow travel” and provides the perfect island break close to home for the northern European market.’
Highlighting the Government of Jersey’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030, Mr Burke – who also sits on the Visit Jersey board and the Island’s Visitor Economy Recovery Task Force – said that in line with this target, the Island should develop a plan for a tourism industry that could thrive in such an environment.
‘In other parts of the world, eco-tourism is not a new idea, and I strongly believe that Jersey has tremendous potential to be a world leader in this area,’ he said. ‘Current trends in the very best independent hotels elsewhere are for much greater use of their gardens and grounds, with the introduction of low-impact structures such as eco lodges, tree houses and other innovative offerings, all designed to sit comfortably in the landscape. Importantly, self-catering accommodation, being less labour-intensive than traditional hotel accommodation, offers the prospect of improving the industry’s productivity, thereby ensuring its viability in the years ahead.
‘With the Island’s rich natural resources, we have the perfect opportunity to build on existing initiatives such as glamping at Durrell, the significant investment in self-catering that Les Ormes has undertaken and the growing importance of the Jersey National Park and bring all these together in a way which will enable the Island to become fit for the future,’ he added.
‘Jersey has a fantastic hospitality industry with a wealth of attractions, restaurants and high-quality hotels, many of which are family-run, which is simply not the case in most parts of the world. While it will be a challenge for many in the industry to survive the next 12 months, and they will need continuing help to do so, I do believe that if we are smart, and work together with the support of government, we can make the current crisis a turning point towards building a sustainable and attractive product to maintain the Island’s unique offering to 2030 and beyond.’
