Condor has confirmed a continued improvement in car passenger carryings from the UK and France to the Island this year.
Latest figures show that current carryings and forward bookings for car passengers on the company’s services from Poole and Portsmouth to Guernsey are running 7% ahead of 2019 levels, and from France the increase is 18%, up 1,300 compared with four years ago. Condor Breaks, the tour operating business established in 2021, is also performing well, having doubled the number of holidays sold into the Islands compared with 2022.
Greg Yeoman, Condor’s Commercial Director, attributed the growth to a recovery in confidence amongst consumers, joint marketing efforts and the increasing popularity of the new holiday company.
He said: “The forward bookings for this season we reported earlier this year were very encouraging and it is fantastic to see this continued improvement into the summer season. This shows that consumers are looking to travel with their vehicles in greater numbers than in the recent past.
“In conjunction with Visit Guernsey, we have been proactively marketing the Island on the continent and in the UK so the positive figures for car passengers and holiday bookings are a reflection of holidaymakers’ desire for both short and longer stays in Guernsey. We estimate that this increase contributes an additional 5,000 bed nights this year compared to 2019.”
Condor confirmed that the number of foot passengers on its services is improving but has not yet reached 2019 levels. For arrivals from France, this is due to the requirement for travellers staying overnight to carry passports.
Mr Yeoman added: “We work collectively with partners to encourage visitors to the Island and promote sea travel. Through Condor Breaks, we are also now able to provide Islanders with hotel and ferry packages to France and the UK, so are hopeful that these positive numbers offer optimism that 2023 will be a good season for everyone.”
