Jane Archer reports
THE Channel Islands have been catapulted into the limelight by Alderney, which is tipped by experts as one of the best places in the British Isles to see the total solar eclipse on August 11.
The island, just three-and-a-half miles by one-and-a-half, is one of the least-known of the Channel Islands. But for one day at least that will change.
About 5,500 visitors are expected to swell the island’s 2,500 population on August 11. Some will be staying on Alderney, but as accommodation is limited to 600 beds, many will arrive just for the day.
Channel Islands airline Aurigny is operating up to 20 flights into the island from early in the morning, while ferry operator Channel Hoppers has an early sailing from Southampton to Alderney. This will be followed by a shuttle service between Guernsey and Alderney until near the time of the eclipse, which reaches totality at 11.16am.
The tourist office believes the island will benefit in the long-term from the eclipse publicity.
“People suddenly know where we are,” said a spokeswoman. “We hope that they will come back for a holiday.”
Neither Guernsey, Alderney’s nearest neighbour, nor Jersey are gaining much from eclipse excitement. Tour operators said business is slow as bookings are getting later, an inevitable consequence of the islands’ growing profile in the short-break market.
Importantly for the trade, there is still room on Guernsey on August 11.
“The lead booking time now is six weeks or less,” said Islanders managing director John Penson.
Premier Holidays product manager Channel Islands Beverley Scarr added: “It is price-led. Bookings have improved since Easter, but Jersey is still 8% down.”
The trend to late bookings prompted Jersey Tourism to change its strategy this year. It is running the press and radio campaign launched at Christmas until July and drawing up plans for the July launch of an autumn campaign.
It also has a poster campaign on the London Underground and has hosted television shows including Two Fat Ladies and Wish You Were Here…? with former Bergerac actor John Nettles learning to play golf to gain exposure.
Marketing director David de Carteret said Jersey Tourism is keen to extend promotion of the island as a golf destination, which has three 18-hole and three nine-hole courses. We are not competing with the Algarve or France, but Jersey is ideal for beginners as we have good tutorial facilities,” he said.
“Our main aim is to maintain last year’s levels from the UK, which were down 6% on 1997 at 432,000 visitors,” said de Carteret.
Guernsey, down a similar percentage last year to 300,000, is spending £400,000 of its £1.5m marketing budget on advertising in the national and regional papers and colour supplements.
“April was not as good as we had hoped but numbers are building and some hotels are full at key periods,” said Guernsey Tourist Board marketing manager Denise Cheir.
Both islands have also moved closer to getting their first international hotel operator. Crowne Plaza has been offered the contract to build a 275-room property on Jersey’s waterfront. The deal is expected to be finalised this summer.
Guernsey is receiving tenders for a new hotel and casino in St Peter Port. Cheir said the tourist board hopes it will be ready in two years. “We are hoping for an international operator, which will help to put us on the map,” she added.