Jersey air show 'needs to generate income'

The Jersey International Air Display is being supported by a £189,000 government grant this year after its main financial backer ended his support last year

The Jersey International Air Display must find new ways of generating income to reduce the burden on the taxpayer, according to the Ports of Jersey.

This year's event on 10 September is being supported by a government grant of £189,000.

Robert Gaines-Cooper had sponsored the air display for 18 years but he withdrew his financial support in 2014.

Event organiser, Deputy Mike Higgins, said a trade show and more business sponsorship was required.

Deputy Higgins said: "We've put forward proposals that we'd like to develop a tradeshow.

"For example, we get electric aeroplanes and we get innovative type products and we believe there's a synergy between what we're doing and what business is doing."

This year the Ports of Jersey, which helps the display organisers, applied and got funding from the tourism development fund to go alongside a £90,000 grant from the Economic Development Department.