There was positive growth in visitor numbers in 2017, with an overall increase of departing visitors – excluding cruise ship passengers and visiting yachtsman – of four per cent, according to new figures from the States of Guernsey.
This was largely driven by a five per cent increase in staying leisure visitors, the 'value' segment of the tourism market, with an additional 36,264 bed nights in commercial accommodation versus 2016.
While bad weather in Q4 led to a 10 per cent (-4,829) decrease in total departing visitors compared with October-December 2016, total departing visitors excluding cruise passengers and visiting yachtsmen for 2017 as a whole increased by four per cent versus 2016.
This equated to an additional 10,054 visitors on the year before.
In total, staying visitor numbers increased three per cent (+6,270), with a five per cent (+7,273) increase in those staying for leisure purposes.
Visitors staying in commercial accommodation increased by four per cent (6,254), while bed nights in commercial accommodation increased by five per cent (+36,264 bed nights versus 2016).
Visitor numbers staying for business purposes also increased five per cent (+1,493), although visitors staying with friends and relatives declined by four per cent (-2,496).
The day visitor market saw a healthy increase of eight per cent (+3,855), with a 14 per cent (+5,069) increase in leisure day visits versus 2016.
Those on a day trip for business purposes however declined by 10 per cent (-1,462).
Whilst the number of visitors travelling by air decreased over the course of 2017 by two per cent (-3,908), the number travelling by sea in 2017 grew 15 per cent (+13,962) compared with 2016. This was despite a difficult Q4, which saw a 19 per cent (-2,049) decline on Q4 2016 due to the bad weather.
Visitors from the UK increased by three per cent (+5,691) in 2017, whilst visitors from France increased by 11 per cent (+2,484). The number of visitors from Jersey, however, declined by five per cent (-1,280).
Visiting yachtsmen increased by 23 per cent (+3,881) versus 2016, however the cruise market experienced difficulties due to bad weather, with many passengers unable to disembark the ship. This has led to a 17 per cent decrease (-22,673) compared with 2016.