THE hotel industry is being supported by the booming building trade. A new report into the island’s tourist industry has revealed that 30% of hotels are ‘increasingly dependent’ on revenue from guest tradesmen.

The first Visitor and Leisure Survey from accountants Chandlers, released today, showed that only 12% of visitors came on family holidays.

Leisure breaks account for half the visitor market while business visitors account for nearly 25%. Tradesmen make up almost half of that.

‘This is just a short-term boost for hotels. It is fuelled by the building boom and once that slows down, the hotels will have to find alternative means of attracting customers,’ said Chandlers managing director Dave Clark.

‘A number of hotels are staying open in the winter and, without that trade, they would shut during that period; it is keeping them open for longer.

‘Some hotels have tradesmen all year round and are filled with that type of client. In these cases the clientele may not be there forever and the hotels need to be aware of this. I think generally they are and generally the industry is already looking at ways of attracting different customers.’

Mr Clark said the survey revealed that hoteliers believed that they had to market themselves better and the island had to have something extra to offer visitors.

‘There is a gut feeling that Guernsey is not getting out there and passionately marketing itself. There is an overall feel that the presentation of Guernsey to the outside world can be improved and sharpened up,’ he said.

‘There is also a feeling that there needs to be a new attraction to bring visitors to the island when the building boom subsides.

‘In the winter those hotels that would have closed without that trade will close anyway, the summer will remain the same but it is in the shoulder months that hoteliers are telling us there needs to be a new attraction.’

Mr Clark said that there was a feeling that the island could attract people with events such as sailing and by making the most of

the natural theme and

providing more walking, water sports and fishing holidays.

‘There is a feeling that these attributes are not being utilised and therefore the people are not being attracted at the moment.’

Mr Clark added the survey also revealed that short breaks seemed to be the emerging market that had to be tapped.