Tasty Walks aims to get visitors to step into spring

Monday 10 September 2012

The tourism industry is working together on a joint promotional marketing initiative to run throughout March and April next year.

“Tasty Walks” will take visitors on guided tours around some of Guernsey’s best loved sites and scenery as well as allowing them to sample excellent local produce at the end of each walk.

The shoulder months offer a perfect opportunity to encourage new visitors to Guernsey. The Commerce and Employment Department have listened and responded to industry by looking at our product strengths and addressing ways to drive new business to Guernsey in the shoulder months. This has been achieved by combining a walking and food offering. At the last Industry Seminar held in April visitor economy representatives represented that the winter into spring months had been particularly sluggish and asked the Department to look at ways of making these months more appealing in promotional terms.

This two month long ‘event’ requires many strands of our industry to work together to ensure its success. These include tour operators, carriers, The Bailiwick of Guernsey Guild of Accredited Guides, hotels, restaurants as well close working in collaboration with the Culture and Leisure Department.

‘Tasty Walks’ will comprise some 35 walks throughout March and April. This will then be followed by a meal at a local eating establishment. Tony Dawson, Consumer Marketing Manager for the Commerce and Employment Department says “It is fantastic to see such strong support from all areas of our industry, coming together in the development of this exciting programme”.

The tour operators who currently programme Guernsey have already been approached, and many have included this initiative into their overall marketing campaigns by including it in their brochures as well as future online activities which will help broaden our sales mission further. Beverley Scarr, General Manager for Short Haul Products at Premier Holidays says “We are always looking for new ways to promote the shoulder months and grow our business outside the peak summer months. This new initiative offers the visitor something else to do in March and April and hope it will be a great success, we are delighted to promote it.”

The Bailiwick of Guernsey Guild of Accredited Guides will lead four walks a week, throughout March and April, each with a maximum capacity of 30 people taking part. Annette Henry, as Chairperson of the Guild and one of the guides said: “This is a great chance to show visitors the hidden gems of Guernsey. We have so much to tell them about our beautiful island’s history and heritage and we are thrilled to be a part of such a great event.”

The walks will include “A Stitch in Time” on Mondays, which will focus on St Peter Port, and include a visit to the Guernsey Tapestry. Walkers will then enjoy an evening meal at a venue or venues yet to be decided. “A West Coast Wander”, taking place on Saturdays will allow walkers to explore all that the West Coast has to offer, before stopping off for lunch. “Uninvited Guests – The Reich, The Writer and The Royals” on Tuesdays and Thursdays will tell tales of the occupation, Victor Hugo as well as Queen Victoria’s unexpected visit to the island, and give walkers an opportunity to climb Victoria Tower. Visitors will then get to stop for Guernsey Cream Tea.

Running alongside this main initiative, restaurants and other eateries have been asked to join in and celebrate the excellent local produce that Guernsey has to offer to locals and visitors alike. Peter Falla, Marketing Director for the Culture and Leisure Department, said “Taste Guernsey will use the expertise of the industry to showcase the best of local produce on the island asking eateries to create Guernsey themed menus to allow visitors the chance to sample local flavours throughout the island’.

Those involved will then be included in promotional material distributed to both on and off island residents, with links to the menus and details of the Tasty Walks programme. The aim of the campaign is primarily to attract off-island interest and to act as a “hook” to hang these shoulder promotions. Other areas of interest and details of attractions for visitors to experience during their holiday will also be highlighted.

It is also hoped that tourist attractions that might usually be closed at this time of the year would open a little earlier to help bolster the product offering and further advance the overall visitor experience. It is important that all parties work together to demonstrate, in such competitive times, that Guernsey is very much open for business and has an excellent product offering for our visitors to sample.