Jersey visits reach a ten-year high

Friday 29 March 2019

Visitors to the island have hit a ten-year high as more people are spending more time and money in Jersey, the latest figures from Visit Jersey show.

The figures indicate that there were more than 725,000 visits to Jersey in 2018 which is the highest it’s been for a decade and visitors are starting to spend more money in the island.

Although the number of visits for holidays and business didn’t show much change from last year, the number of ‘other’ trips including for study saw a 71% increase in 2018. 

Visit Jersey say that it was the final quarter of the year which secured the annual growth in what they described as “uncertain” times.

Pictured: The visit figures are the highest they've been since 2008 (Visit Jersey).

Visits to the island in the ‘shoulder months’ of October and December last year accounted for 18% of the year’s total.

Keith Beecham, CEO of the tourism body, said: “The year was characterised by a very weak period from February through to May, modest year-on-year growth during most of the peak summer months and a strong final quarter to deliver growth in both the number of visitors and their spend on-island. 

“Times might be uncertain but Visit Jersey, Jersey tourism businesses and partners are working hard to ensure we continue to progress in 2019 and move towards our 2030 ambitions.”

There were 725,417 visits to the island in 2018 which signifies only a 3% increase on the previous year, but it indicates an upward trend after a drop in 2016. It’s also the busiest the island has been since the financial recession in 2008. 

Pictured: It was the last quarter that secured the annual growth in what has been described as "uncertain" times for tourism in Jersey.

Of these visits, two-thirds were for a holiday, 11% were for business, 15% were to visit friends or family and the rest were for other reasons such as study, school trips or for sporting activities. 

Spend is also on the rise with visitors parting with £268,300,000 whilst in the island which is the best it’s been since 2011.

Senator Lyndon Farnham, Deputy Chief Minister, Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture said, "I am pleased to see the continued progress being made by Visit Jersey and their partners. This set of results is a reminder of just how important our visitor economy is to Jersey.”