A team from VisitGuernsey joined forces again with VisitJersey to attend the ITB Convention, a leading European consumer and trade travel convention held in Berlin last week. Mike Hopkins, Director of Marketing and Tourism, and Emily Queripel, Trade and Media Marketing Executive, were also joined by Norbert Stump the Duke of Richmond hotel’s General Manager, and Bori Halasz, the St Pierre Park hotel’s Sales and Marketing Manager on the Channel Island’s stand.

VisitGuernsey held meetings with existing and potentially new European Tour Operator and charter partners to discuss the performance of the 2018 season so far, as well as discussing possible new agreements for this season and for the 2019 season. 

Eurowings, the German carrier, confirmed the good news that they will operate a new charter service to Guernsey for the coming 2018 season, with a Saturday rotation from Dusseldorf starting from 5 May to 1 September. 

Sunair, the Dutch tour operator responsible for the Rotterdam charter, and TUI Wolters, the German tour operator responsible for the already popular Dusseldorf charter, with whom VisitGuernsey and VisitJersey have triangular service agreements, confirmed that bookings to date were looking healthy. 

VisitGuernsey also progressed positive discussions regarding potential additional charter services from new and additional German departure points for the 2019 season. 

On Thursday evening VisitGuernsey and VisitJersey hosted the Channel Islands Trade dinner, a popular networking event which was attended by over 65 representatives from many of the mainstream and specialist German, Austrian, Dutch and Swiss tour operators. 

Mike Hopkins, Director of Marketing and Tourism said, “ITB has again provided an ideal opportunity for both VisitGuernsey and VisitJersey to present in partnership the Channel 

Islands to the important European tourism trade and consumer market, as well as being the perfect venue to discuss and negotiate new tour operator and charter opportunities.”

Pictured top: Emily-Queripel (VG), Mike-Hopkins (VG), Katharina-Barry (Dertour)