HOTELIERS will now have access to expected visitor numbers months in advance. A new online system operated by VisitGuernsey will allow hoteliers and self-catering-accommodation owners to obtain the previous and future month’s booking figures.

Tourism chief Chris Elliot said visitors for this year were good, with airport arrivals up by 3.5%, sea travellers by 15% and hits on the website by 46% on last year.

‘The one area in which we need more information is hotels and self-catering figures,’ he said.

‘It’s July and we have only just had the figures for May.

‘The reason for that is we have to wait till the end of the month, then the research and marketing company contacts hotels taking part and by the time all the information has come through, it’s actually not that useful for making future decisions – it looks backward not forward,’ said Mr Elliot.

The new forward-booking indicator, or FBI, should be online by September and will work on an email system.

‘It means that hoteliers will be given the stats for a month and be asked how the following month’s bookings are looking,’ he said.

‘It will enable us and the industry to be informed about the future rather than the past and help with our marketing strategy decisions,’ he said.

Current contributors to the monthly survey make up 75% of the islands’ accommodation but Mr Elliot hopes the new system will attract even more.

‘It will allow hoteliers to know how they are doing in the context of how other businesses are looking and it will help hoteliers to decide what they need to do in terms of future publicity,’ said Mr Elliot.

Chris Sharp, chairman of the hospitality and tourism group, said he welcomed the forward-booking system.

‘It all sounds very positive but we will have to wait and see what is being offered,’ he added.

‘A forward-booking system would be good for any business in Guernsey – we just have to see what support the industry gives.’