A new scheme will make an estimated £6.5m. available to support the struggling Guernsey hospitality industry.
The Policy & Resources Committee’s new initiative will provide grants to eligible hotels, guest houses and self- catering accommodation providers, focussing on those businesses with the greatest financial need.
‘Accommodation providers are part of the visitor economy sector that we know is being hit hardest, with virtually no visitors coming to the Bailiwick this season and still a lot of uncertainty ahead. It is right that government looks to continue providing support. And given how varied this sector is, with a huge range in the size of operations, types of accommodation, staff costs and everything else, it was right to take a more detailed, targeted approach to how we provide that support,’ said Deputy Lyndon Trott, Vice-President of the Policy & Resources Committee.
Who is eligible?
As of 1 July, there will be two levels of grant offered in each category of accommodation, with the highest level reserved for those businesses facing the most challenging financial circumstances.
The level of support available to a business will depend on a number of factors, including trading results over the grant period and the access the business has to alternate funds, including its own reserves.
It is not yet known how long this grant will be required, though it is intended the support will be available until the end of Q1 2020 and could cost an estimated £6.5m.
The grant scheme the result of discussion with industry representatives, including the Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development’s Tourism Recovery Task Force, which was created to ensure accommodation providers were able to feedback to government.
Deputy Joe Mooney, member of the Committee for Economic Development with responsibility for tourism, said that while islanders were supporting the industry through staycations, it would not be enough to compensate for a near-total lack of overnight staying tourists.
‘The additional support from government will provide that bit more to keep these businesses going until the 2021 season,’ he said.
See here for more information on the financial support measures available for business in Guernsey please visit