Push leads to thousands of extra plane seats

Officials said the package aims to help business sectors remain competitive

More than 13,000 extra plane seats to Jersey have been secured following a £2m government grant to encourage tourism, according to a report.

The government's first Better Business Support Package (BBSP) delivery report shows a summary of the progress made to help boost businesses in its first six months.

It said the BBSP aimed to help business sectors remain competitive, with the two-year £20m package supporting schemes including route development, employee support and skills grant.

A £2m destination marketing grant for Visit Jersey led to extra inbound airplane seats being committed for 2025 and 2026 via Blue Islands and Jet2 as part of the scheme, it said.

The government said the grant was for specific campaigns and activities to increase tourism demand and spending, leading to a 64% increase in online searches for the island.

The destination marketing grant was split between three priorities, it said.

The priorities include support to the development and promotion relating to the Bergerac TV series, route marketing for new connectivity to mainland Europe and supporting additional campaigns and partnerships aligned with Visit Jersey's annual grant priorities.

"The BBSP grant has enabled Visit Jersey to deliver bold, visibility-driving initiatives that would not have been possible otherwise - strengthening demand, enhancing connectivity and elevating Jersey's visitor appeal," it said.