As the autumn months set in, temperatures drop and the days become shorter, locals on Guernsey have reflected on a successful summer packed with holidaymakers. Business owners on the Channel Island are gushing about excited tourists flocking to their shores, buying drinks, lunches, spending money in their souvenir shops, and sunbathing on their beaches.
However, despite the tiny island being a Crown Dependency, and residents largely speaking English, it’s not crowds of British holidaymakers they can’t get enough of. In fact, some have even gone as far as to call British tourists “disrespectful.” Instead, it’s Guernsey’s old arch-rival and very close neighbour—the French—that residents love.
Guernsey has experienced an unprecedented influx of French tourists, with a 74 per cent increase compared to last year. Some suggest the island’s recent feature on a TV show in France is behind its rising popularity. A string of residents and business owners told the Daily Mail that the new tourists have saved the season and even boosted business. They feel the French are far superior visitors compared to the British: more interested in local culture, polite, and ready to spend.
“Thank God for the French,” exclaimed Giselle Bray, who runs a sandwich shop. “Because of them, our summer has been great. We’ve had a mix of French families, young people, and elderly visitors, and they’re all so respectable, polite, and interested in the island.”
The second-largest of the Channel Islands, Guernsey lies just 30 miles from the French coast and has also caught the eye of influencers. TikTok is flooding with dreamy Guernsey content showcasing dazzling shores, pristine beaches, and jagged clifftops. Many claim it’s better than most Mediterranean countries, with some even dubbing it the new Cornwall due to its surprising accessibility.
Guernsey’s tourism board has been actively encouraging travel influencers to visit, with the hashtag #guernsey garnering thousands of views. This rise in popularity comes as Cornwall faced its worst summer visitor numbers in a decade, with its tourism body collapsing.
Louise Parsons, who works in a jewellery shop, shared: “We’ve noticed a huge number of French tourists. I think it’s easier to get here now, and they have been advertising a lot more than they used to. There’s an influencer who spent the weekend here and documented the whole thing—it was great.”
She added, “The French spend more money than the British. They absolutely love the island, and a lot of them are here for the cobbled streets and the idea of a quaint island life. It’s very nostalgic.”
Locals explained that French tourists particularly love Guernsey because the novelist Victor Hugo completed *Les Misérables* while living in exile on the island. There has also been a new ferry system introduced, and French TV is being flooded with adverts promoting Guernsey.
Lucile Le Ray, a 25-year-old visitor from France, told the Daily Mail that tourists from her homeland enjoy the island because they find it easy to relate to. “We like it here because there’s a French touch, and for us, it’s important to relate to the place we’re visiting,” she said. “So many people here speak French, there’s great French heritage, and it’s close.”
The number of French day trippers visiting Guernsey this summer has almost doubled. This has been attributed to new ferry and plane routes between the two countries, as well as a marketing drive from Visit Guernsey across social media and French television.
“There have been a lot of social media campaigns and French TV campaigns which have absolutely worked,” said Theo Le Tissier. “They’ve even been sponsoring influencers.”
“Tourism numbers have been higher than normal this summer because of the new ferries,” explained Diane Le Sauvage, who works in a newsagent. “They’ve been great—lots of French tourists come through the door. They’ve been much more polite than the Brits that we’re used to, and hopefully, it will continue.”
Hayley Winterflood, who runs a local pub, added: “They’re ideal tourists. I found it unexpected, but we’ve had a lot over this year and it’s great. They’re very friendly, way more friendly than the Brits, polite, they spend money, and they’ve taken to pub culture very well.”
One of the big perks for visitors is that they are not required to pay VAT. Diane Gruber, who works in a clothes shop, noted that French tourists looking to splash their cash can really go “crazy.”
Meanwhile, Kevin Castro, who works in a restaurant, said French tourists have boosted business significantly. “There have been so many French tourists here this summer; it’s had a big impact on our business. They spend a lot of money, they’re appreciative, and they even tip on top of the service charge—you don’t get that with Brits, it’s not a guarantee,” he remarked. “We want them to keep coming because, because of them, we’ve been able to have more events and plan more.”
Hannah Beacom, Chair of Guernsey’s Tourism Management Board, commented: “The April to June period is a strong indicator of what we can expect to see during the rest of the tourist season, and there is clearly some very positive news to glean from this latest data.”
“The Board welcomes the significant rise in visitors from France, a huge benefit resulting from the deal struck between Brittany Ferries and the Committee for Economic Development,” she added. “I’ve personally noticed a far greater prevalence of French being spoken around St Peter Port and in other tourism hotspots within the island, which is wonderful to hear as we continue to build stronger ties with our French neighbours.”
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-15156399/Ungrateful-locals-Guernsey-reveal-reasons-prefer-French-tourists-Brit-holidaymakers.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ito=1490&ns_campaign=1490
