It's been an exciting period for Guernsey's tourism industry, marked by VisitGuernsey being crowned Destination Brand of the Year, the first meeting of the new Tourism Advisory Board, and progress on plans for the Victor Hugo Centre. Alongside industry training initiatives, the latest traveller booking insights and important reminders on accommodation standards, this edition highlights key developments supporting the Islands' visitor economy and future growth.
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We've been crowned Destination Brand of the Year
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First Tourism Advisory Board meeting
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Islands 'High Point' of training
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Plans submitted for Victor Hugo Centre
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Industry Insight - Traveller booking trend
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Accommodation cleanliness and inspections reminder
We were thrilled to represent VisitGuernsey at the ceremony in London last week and even more thrilled to win this award. The Award is a fantastic achievement for everyone involved, the VG team and the stakeholders we work with, and celebrates the passion, innovation and teamwork behind a brand that continues to put the Islands of Guernsey firmly on the map.
We are a very small team but collectively we are a community who are all working towards a common goal, and we thank you for the part you play, and for your continued support.
Read full article here.
The Tourism Advisory Board (TAB) met for the first time in July. The Board is an evolution of the former Tourism Management Board and welcomes a refreshed Board of key industry stakeholders including those representing the Guernsey Hospitality Association (GHA) and Guernsey Tourism Partnership (GTP). The TAB will work closely with Economic Development and VisitGuernsey to draft a Tourism Strategy that will shape the marketing work that we do. The TAB retain oversight of the tourism funding, with applications invited from September for 2027.
We look forward to continuing our positive working relationship with the Board.
Learn more about the TAB here.
Following attendance at the VisitGuernsey Travel Trade Summit, members of the High Point Holidays team arranged an online training session for their wider team to learn more about the Islands.
The webinar showcased Guernsey, Herm, Sark, Lihou and Alderney, helping agents build their knowledge and confidently promote the Islands of Guernsey. The training was extremely well received, with many team members saying they would love to visit (or even move!) the Islands themselves after hearing more about the unique experiences on offer.
Want to book destination training for your team? Contact Jo Ferguson.
The creation of a Victor Hugo Centre in the heart of Town has moved one step closer to becoming a reality after a planning application was submitted this week to create an exciting, interactive and immersive celebration of the global icon who made Guernsey his home for 15 years.
The Centre, which will be housed in the former States Office Building and former information centre, will be a multi-purpose educational and cultural venue located on the island that Victor Hugo called his ‘rock of hospitality and freedom’.
The centre will comprise three distinct elements:
Museum & Interpretation Centre
Performance & event space
Learning Hub
Read more here.
As consumer booking behaviour continues to evolve, new data from Holiday Hypermarket highlights a growing shift towards spontaneity, with one in five UK travellers (20.8%) now booking their holiday within just two weeks of departure and over 40% booking within four weeks.
The average booking window has shortened significantly from 88 to 71 days, reflecting a consumer mindset that is increasingly driven by flexibility, value and real-time decision making rather than long-term planning.
For destinations and travel trade partners, this reinforces the importance of maintaining strong visibility, competitive offers and agile marketing throughout the season, ensuring they are well positioned to capture demand from late-booking consumers seeking sunshine, convenience and confidence in their holiday choice.
Read more here.
As part of the Statutory Visitor Accommodation Permit requirements, accommodation providers are expected to maintain high standards of cleanliness and safety at all times.
We work closely with accommodation providers to address any complaints raised by visitors and support them in resolving issues promptly. Where concerns are identified, we will engage directly with providers to review, seek improvements and, where necessary, escalate matters to the appropriate authorities, including Environmental Health and Trading Standards for further investigation.
Please note that spot checks continue to take place throughout the year. Accommodation providers are reminded to ensure their properties are presented to the highest possible standard and are clean, well-maintained and fully guest-ready for arriving visitors at all times.
Thank you very much for your cooperation.
