VISITGUERNSEY has been accused of wasting money on marketing. Stuart Pinnell, the former director of visitor economy for the States, believes that more should have been done to address the decline in transport links.

Now the managing director for the East of England Tourist Board, he came to Guernsey in June 2003 to boost the visitor economy and help the island through a period of change.

In 2000, the then Tourist Board had set projected growth rates of 10% in tourist numbers for each of the following five years.

It believed that some 200-250 additional beds would be needed by 2005.

‘But when I arrived, the reality was that there had been a decline of 5% rather than an increase of 30%,’ he said.

‘Despite that, the States still spent £3m. per year over several years marketing the island – a budget significantly bigger than most UK regions.

‘At the same time, there had been a significant reduction in transport links to the island and the low-cost model was just being introduced.’

More than 50% of the States’ marketing budget was being spent in Europe and elsewhere and less then 30% of it in the UK, where the greatest development potential was.

A larger portion of the marketing budget was diverted towards the UK option following a 2003 review of the strategy, which was carried out in conjunction with the hospitality trade.

Mr Pinnell said the industry was like a three-legged stool involving marketing, transport links and the quality of product.

‘The marketing is in place, but Guernsey should focus its attention on the transport links and the quality of product. And quality will only come with reduction of supply.’

Mr Pinnell said he recommended to Commerce and Employment that some of the money spent on marketing should be diverted to support and develop new transport links. Failure to address the imbalance would lead to further decline in the tourist industry.