Holiday Rush: 500 Snap Up Jersey Deals in Visitor Boost

Flash Sale Brings 500 Extra Visitors to Jersey Amid Tourism Struggles

A flash holiday sale has delivered a late boost to Jersey’s flagging visitor numbers, with more than 500 people booking short breaks to the island.

The deal, available between 15 August and 3 September, offered return flights, a three-night hotel stay and entry to Jersey Heritage attractions from £159 per person. According to Visit Jersey, 68% of bookings were for immediate travel in August and September.

Chief executive Tricia Warwick said: “It is so competitive out there, we have to fight for share of voice with the customer.”

Visitor arrivals in the first half of 2024 were down 16%, prompting concern within the hospitality sector. The Jersey Hospitality Association has renewed calls for greater government funding for tourism marketing, with chair Malcolm Lewis describing Visit Jersey’s current budget as “pitiful” and damaging to the island’s ability to compete.

Ministers say they are reviewing funding arrangements. Warwick noted that, in most destinations, tourism boards spend between 5–15% of visitor revenue on marketing. Jersey generated £290m from tourism in 2024 but Visit Jersey’s core grant stands at just £4.7m.

She added that late publication of ferry schedules had also hurt the sector, with sea travel down by nearly a third. “We weren’t bookable until February this year, losing four months of sales,” she said.

Ferry operator DFDS said bookings through to autumn 2025 would open at the end of September.