At a Jersey Tourism conference at St James Centre yesterday Tourism Board chairman Deputy Lyndon Farnham said that a possible increase in visitor numbers was on the cards for 2005.
Before an audience of hundreds of invited guests, all of whom are involved in the tourism industry, Deputy Farnham said: ‘Last year we saw a reduction in the fall of the number of visitors and there is a possible increase in visitor numbers for 2005.
‘We are very hopeful that this year we will see an increase for the first time since the early 1990s.
Although the number of leisure visitors was good last year, the business and conference side of things was down because the Hotel de France was out of action because of the fire there.
But with that coming back on track, we are now seeing an increase.
‘We are also getting a lot of national television and media coverage at the moment and more routes are opening up at the Airport.
This really is good news for all.
I believe 2004 was a big turning point – the industry in general is really beginning to work together for the first time in a long time.’
