Focus on WWII heritage continues for VisitGuernsey

These new routes are part of a two-year focus for VisitGuernsey on our WWII heritage, culminating in the 80^thanniversary of Liberation Day next year.

Themed around subjects such as invasion, occupation and liberation, the five new walking, cycling and driving routes make up a new History & Heritage section, taking visitors to some of the most historically significant sites on the islands. These are brought to life with video content from local residents recalling their war-time experiences, bringing sites to life with real-life stories of human courage and experience and ‘Now and then’ images, showcasing the dramatic contrast between World War II and present day. Routes also promote businesses, attraction and activity providers along the way.

New information boards have been installed along each route, with QR codes linking to more content on the VisitGuernsey website so that users can be immersed in the site they are visiting.

The new routes will be promoted as part of ongoing History and Heritage themed press releases distributed to UK media, shared across VG’s social channels with a series of promotional videos and as part of the visiting journalists programme, which this year sees heritage specific activity.

Next week VisitGuernsey welcomes a history-themed press trip with titles including War History online, National World (syndicated across 70 regional UK titles) and Reach PLC (Daily Mirror, Daily Express and the Daily Star) and, over Liberation Day, History Alice will be in the Island, creating content for her social media account. Alice has 1.4m followers who are highly engaged, with approx. 250,000 interacting with each of her posts presenting a unique opportunity for Guernsey to get in front of a new and relevant audience.

Alongside digital and social content VisitGuernsey has created a WW2 history specific page on the VisitGuernsey website which has, to date, had a reach of 105,000, with more than 500 reactions, comments and shares.

Short films are also seeing good engagement, with a film featuring the German Underground Hospital having more than 65,000 plays in the first two weeks it was out.

Festung, a volunteer group which works to restore and safeguard the Islands’ bunkers, are a key partner for VisitGuernsey this year and next, and have been instrumental in the new route development as well as being involved in journalist trips. In conjunction with VG, there is also a new printed map available which highlights all the WWII sites across the Island.

Supported with funding from the Tourism Development Fund, via the Tourism Management Board, Festung will renovate the German site at Fort Hommet, making this World War II site more accessible to visitors and bringing Guernsey’s World War history to life, a great new product for the team to use to promote the Islands.

As we now enter the final stages of organising and supporting the programme of events and activities for Liberation Day, we are also looking ahead to the 80^th celebrations next year, which promise to be bigger and better.

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