In our latest edition of Guernsey News you will find information on the newest tourism experiences, the key events coming up, as well as
• TV boosts Guernsey profile
• Jools Holland to bring Rhythm and Blues to Guernsey
• Google puts The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society on the map
• Guernsey tourist numbers increase
• AA awards four stars to St Pierre Park
• VisitGuernsey launches online training scheme for agents
• Prestige Holidays adds Guernsey and sister islands for 2011
WHAT’S NEW
TV boosts Guernsey profile
Guernsey’s profile is growing thanks to a range of visits by TV crews in recent weeks.
Popular breakfast show GMTV travelled to the island in mid-July to film two destination-led segments, which also included a barbecue on Pembroke Beach at which popular chef Ainsley Harriott cooked up a feast using local Guernsey ingredients. The resulting films are due to be shown during August.
Food was also a key theme when BBC1’s Countryfile programme visited the island in July. Reporter James Wong undertook a gastronomic tour of Guernsey, visiting local artisan producers, collecting some of the island’s celebrated ‘hedge veg’ and catching up with local fishermen before turning his hand to traditional Guernsey recipes in a local kitchen. James’ adventures on the island are scheduled to appear this summer.
Another crew to visit the island came from More4’s The TV Book Club, who teamed up with a local reading group based at the Guille-Alles Library to review the novel Ellis Island by Kate Kerrigan. This episode of The TV Book Club is scheduled to appear this weekend (1 August) and will show the group discussing the novel at the Fermain Valley hotel, with local landscapes also showcased.
F1 World Drivers’ Champion Jenson Button was filmed on various locations on the island by BBC training for the London Triathlon (7-8 August), while Guernsey was also featured prominently in the recent Yesterday series Channel Islands At War, fronted by John Nettles.
www.gm.tv
www.bbc.co.uk
www.channel4.com
www.uktv.co.uk
Jools Holland to bring Rhythm and Blues to Guernsey
Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra are preparing to entertain audiences in Guernsey.
Jools and his orchestra will take to the stage in the Sir John Loveridge Hall at Beau Sejour on 15 and 16 September, with very special guest star Soft Cell’s Marc Almond, as well as Ruby Turner and Louise Marshall as guest vocalists. He will also be joined by his former Squeeze colleague Gilson Lavis who is another founding member of the 20-piece Rhythm & Blues Orchestra.
The event is organised by promoter Things To Do Guernsey, who brought Katherine Jenkins to the island earlier this year.
www.thingstodoguernsey.com
Google puts The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society on the map
Fans of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society can now visit the places described in the book following a specially designed Google Map.
The award-winning novel is set in the German Occupied island of Guernsey during and immediately after World War II and although the story is fiction, the places are real.
Available on http://bit.ly/cy3VVr, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Google Map features more than 30 locations described in the book, providing interesting facts.
In addition to The Guernsey Literary and Peel Pie Society, which has already received more than 25,000 views, VisitGuernsey has produced a selection of thematic Google Maps about the island (including the Official VisitGuernsey Map, Guernsey Restaurants and Guernsey Folklore), with two more under development (Guernsey Accommodation and Guernsey Bus Routes).
http://bit.ly/cy3VVr
HOLIDAY UPDATE
AA awards four stars to St Pierre Park
Guernsey’s iconic St Pierre Park hotel has been awarded a prestigious 4-star rating by the AA.
Set in acres of beautiful parkland and gardens on the outskirts of Guernsey’s capital St Peter Port, the St Pierre Park has recently been extensively refurbished in a multi million pound project, with all bedrooms and bathrooms upgraded to a contemporary, high standard.
The St Pierre Park is Guernsey's largest hotel, with 131 guest rooms and suites.
www.stpierrepark.co.uk
Prestige Holidays adds Guernsey and sister islands for 2011
Prestige Holidays is to introduce Guernsey, Herm, Sark and Alderney into its 2011 brochure, which will be launched in October. The operator will sell all available sea and air routes to Guernsey.
Prestige will focus on the four-star market, with the Old Government House Hotel and Bella Luce among six Guernsey properties to be featured. The White House Hotel will be the featured option in Herm, while the Braye Beach is among four Alderney properties being offered. Up to four different Sark hotels will also be featured.
www.prestigeholidays.co.uk
Excellent water quality for five Guernsey beaches
The Channel Islands had the biggest increase in the MCS Recommended Beaches in this year’s Marine Conservation Society’s Good Beach Guide (62 per cent of beaches are MCS Recommended compared to 38% last year).
Guernsey has five recommended beaches: Cobo (an attractive mix of sand dunes and pink granite rocky headland with fortifications as well as great rock pools); L’Eree (a large bay offering panoramic views from the southern tip of Guernsey); Port Soif Bay (a horseshoe-shaped bay of fine dry sand and a favourite with families); Saint’s Bay (a beautiful sandy cove with a pebble bank at the top of the beach); and Vazon (a wide crescent of lovely clean sand which receives the sun from early morning until sunset, excellent for beach games and with good conditions for surfing).
www.goodbeachguide.co.uk
PUT IT IN THE DIARY!
Guernsey Summer Seafood
until Tuesday 31 August
A small island with a big and enduring passion for food, Guernsey celebrates throughout July and August its cosmopolitan seafaring heritage and bountiful sea. Come and try seafood freshly harvested and local culinary delicacies – restaurants offer special menus throughout the island!
www.goodfoodguernsey.gg
Castle Nights in Guernsey
Friday 6 August
Castle Nights are back for a series of four Friday evenings with free admission to Castle Cornet and a varied programme of musical entertainment. The evenings allow islanders and visitors alike to explore one of Guernsey's most famous historical sites whilst bringing along their picnics and enjoying some first class entertainment.
www.visitguernsey.com
Torteval Scarecrow Festival
Saturday 7 – Sunday 8 August
This August the beautiful parish of Torteval, south west of Guernsey, will once again be taken over by a motley crew of scarecrows this year, created by dozens of locals. Starting at the Torteval Church, take in the natural beauty of the area and vote for your favourite at the end of the walk. From sailors to witches and from rags to straw, they come in all shapes, sizes and materials! A great event for all the family that gets more and more popular every year.
www.visitguernsey.com
Guernsey Marathon
Sunday 29 August
The course of the Guernsey Marathon - one of the 101 races to run before you die according to popular Run Abroad website - takes you along some of the island’s most picturesque roads and lanes. 2010 marks 101 years since the first Guernsey Marathon – but it is also 2500 years since that first marathon experience: it was in 490 BC that Athenian herald Pheidippides brought the news of the Greeks’ victory over the Persians at Marathon by running the 26 miles from the battlefield to Athens!
www.guernseymarathon.gg
Guernsey Autumn Walking Festival
Saturday 4 – Wednesday 15 September
Discover hidden paths and tracks and learn all about the history of Guernsey with the help of accredited guides. Victor Hugo Trail for the hikers, St Peter Port Trail to visit the capital, Ruettes Tranquilles to see granite farmhouses and ancient churches, nature trails and coastal walks to experience Guernsey’s rugged coast line…
www.visitguernsey.com
Battle of Britain Air Display and International Air Rally
Thursday 9 – Sunday 12 September
Extremely popular with locals and visitors alike, the annual Battle of Britain Air Display includes World War II aircraft, modern training aircraft and RAF fast jets and helicopters (with the RAF’s Red Arrows showing off for the finale their skilful synchronised formation flying), while the three-day Air Rally attracts aircraft from all over Europe. This year commemorates the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.
www.guernseyaviationweek.org.gg
The 5th International Victor Hugo Music Festival
Monday 20 – Sunday 25 September
Guernsey’s unique and charming character, drawn from its French and English influences, provides the backdrop to the Victor Hugo International Music Festival. Taking its name from Guernsey’s best known resident of all time, the biannual event features a stellar line up of highly regarded international musicians.
www.vhfestival.com
Guernsey Autumn Floral Festival Week
Saturday 25 September – Sunday 3 October
Guernsey has a rich floral heritage and a passion for all things horticultural. As the summer draws to an end and the autumn colours creep in, explore the wonderful shades of Guernsey and enjoy its natural beauty – tours around various open gardens, walks, lectures and workshops will be on offer.
www.floralguernsey.gg
TRADE NEWS
Guernsey tourist numbers increase
Demand for Guernsey is booming even in the face of recession, ash clouds, the World Cup and economic uncertainty, according to the island’s Director of Marketing & Tourism Chris Elliott.
2009 was a very strong year for Guernsey tourism – according to the recently released visitor figures for January-December 2009 staying leisure visitors increased by 8.1 per cent, from 185,000 to 200,000.
VisitGuernsey has adopted similar marketing tactics this year to stimulate further growth, maintaining very close cooperation with the island’s tour operator partners and focusing on a media strategy which concentrates on its core customers (people aged 55+, living within 90 minutes of a departure point to Guernsey).
VisitGuernsey recently sent out its 100,000th brochure pack this year – a record since it started keeping statistics – while visits to the VisitGuernsey.com website are up by around 30 per cent year-on-year.
Arrivals by sea from the access ports of Poole, Weymouth and Portsmouth all show double digit increases in passenger numbers. Air access to Guernsey is from 13 UK airports, and while the Atlantic ash cloud in April resulted in a drop in airport arrivals of 16 per cent for that month, the recovery is very encouraging, with a potential to exceed 2009 figures by the end of the year.
www.visitguernsey.com
VisitGuernsey launches online training scheme for agents
VisitGuernsey’s first-ever online training scheme for travel agents is now live – with short breaks on the island waiting to be won!
Accessed via www.GuernseyTradeMedia.com/traveltrade, the scheme consists of two modules, the first focusing on Guernsey itself and the second showcasing its sister islands of Herm, Sark and Alderney. The Guernsey module provides information on the island’s ‘capital’ St Peter Port, tourist attractions and activities, the south coast cliffs, west coast beaches, history and heritage, Guernsey’s floral appeal, and gourmet Guernsey. The second module covers the key selling points of Herm, Sark and Alderney in turn.
Each module is followed by a test consisting of 20 multiple choice questions. Having passed, agents are able to print a display certificate identifying them as a Guernsey specialist. Also included is a ‘meet the team’ section which identifies key tourism marketing personnel and encourages agents to make contact.
Every two months, VisitGuernsey will be offering new agents completing the online training scheme the chance to win short breaks for two people with Premier Holidays and Preston Holidays.
www.GuernseyTradeMedia.com/traveltrade
Flybe to launch new jet aircraft on Guernsey route
As of Spring 2011 travellers to Guernsey will be able to enjoy an upgraded service thanks to Flybe’s first new Embraer-175 jet aircraft. The decision marks the return of a jet service on the London Gatwick-Guernsey route. Flybe plans to offer up to eight flights a day from the island.
The Embraer 175 jet that will be used in the Guernsey service will be the first of 35 new aircrafts that Flybe has ordered from Embraer. It will offer comfortable 2x2 seating and a minimum of 30” legroom and is in line with Flybe’s strategy of investing in lower emission new technology aircraft.
www.flybe.com
For more information on visiting Guernsey please go
to www.visitguernsey.com or call 01481 723 552
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