'Unacceptable delay' to ferry tender process damaging tourist industry

ITV Channel reporter Emma Volney spoke to industry leaders about the tender process.

The uncertainty over who will be the Channel Islands' next ferry operator is having a "detrimental" impact on the tourism sector.

That is according to current providers Condor and Brittany Ferries whose concerns are shared by the Jersey Chamber of Commerce and Jersey Hospitality Association (JHA).

They are calling on officials to make a quick decision in order to minimise the impact on next year's visitor numbers.

However, the CEO of Condor and Brittany Ferries, Christophe Mathieu, says the hold-up has already affected bookings for 2025 and he worries that people considering a holiday in the Channel Islands "will simply go elsewhere".

The group says they originally expected a decision by the end of September, but are now likely to have to wait until November.

Murray Norton, of the Jersey Chamber of Commerce, says: "Chamber has been consistently saying for over four months that it is not in the best interests of the island for our tourism industry to be the collateral damage, due to any delays in this tender process."

The Jersey Hospitality Association adds: “Delays in the tender process are having significant negative effects, particularly as we plan for 2025 - a year focused on strengthening inter-island and French connections, celebrating our 80th Liberation anniversary."

It is believed the three companies vying to obtain the contract to run Channel Island ferry services for the next 15 years are DFDS, Condor Ferries and Irish Ferries.

Jersey's Sustainable Economic Development Minister, Deputy Kirsten Morel, said: "We recognise the importance of this decision to all Islanders, and we are committed to securing a reliant and resilient ferry service for the next decade and beyond. “We are making an extremely important and complex commercial decision, and we need to get it right.

“Detailed consideration is being given to the submitted bids and we will be making an announcement very soon.”

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