As the autumn months set in, temperatures drop and the days become shorter, locals on Guernsey have reflected on a successful summer packed with holidaymakers.
Business owners on the Channel Island are gushing about excited tourists flocking to their shores, buying drinks, lunches, spending money in their souvernir shops and sunbathing on their beaches.
However, despite the tiny island being a crown dependency, and residents largely speaking English, its not crowds of British holidaymakers they can’t get enough of.
In fact, some have even gone as far to call our tourists ‘disrespectful’.
Actually its our old arch rival, but their very close neighbour, that residents love – the French.
Guernsey has experienced an unprecedented influx of French tourists, a 74 per cent increase on last year, with some suggesting the island featuring on a TV show in France as the reason behind its popularity.
A string of residents and business owners told the Daily Mail the new tourists have saved the season and even boosted business.
They feel the French are far superior visitors than the Brits because they are interested in their culture, more polite and ready to spend.
‘Thank god for the French’ Giselle Bray, who runs a sandwich shop exclaimed.
‘Because of them our summer has been great. We’ve had a mix of French families, young people and elderly and they’re all so respectable, polite and interested in the island.’
Guernsey has experienced a huge influx of ‘more desirable’ French tourists, who locals claim are politer and tip better than their British peers
Guernsey has both staggering white sand beaches and quaint cobble streets appealing to tourists looking for a bit of British charm with a French climate
Lucile Le Ray, (pictured) a 25-year-old visiting Guernsey from France told the Daily Mail, tourists from her homeland enjoy the island because they find it easy to relate to
The second-largest of the Channel Islands, just 30 miles from the French coast, has also caught the eye of influencers, who are flooding TikTok with dreamy Guernsey content showing dazzling shores, pristine beaches and jagged clifftops.
They have claimed it’s better than most Mediterranean countries with some even dubbing it the new Cornwall because it is surprisingly more accessible.
Guernsey’s tourism board has even been encouraging travel influencers to visit with #guernsey garnering thousands of views.
It comes as Cornwall faced its worst summer visitor numbers in a decade with its tourism body collapsing.
Louise Parsons, who works in a jewelry shop said: ‘We’ve noticed a huge number of French tourists I think it’s easier to get here and they have been advertising a lot more than they used to.
‘There’s an influencer that spent the weekend here and documented the whole thing it was great.
‘The French spend more money than the British. They absolutely love the island and lot of them are here for cobbled streets and the idea of a quaint island life. It’s very nostalgic.’
Locals explained French tourists particularly love Guernsey because the novelist Victor Hugo completed Les Misérables when living in exile there.
The second-largest of the Channel Islands, just 30 miles from the French coast, has caught the eye of influencers
Influencers are flooding TikTok with dreamy Guernsey content of dazzling shores, pristine beaches and jagged clifftops
There has also been a new ferry system introduced and French TV is being flooded with adverts for the island.
Lucile Le Ray, a 25-year-old visiting Guernsey from France told the Daily Mail, tourists from her homeland enjoy the island because they find it easy to relate to.
She said: ‘We like it here because there’s a French touch and for us, it’s important to relate to the place we’re visiting.
‘So many people here speak French, there’s great French heritage and it’s close.’
The number of French day trippers visiting Guernsey this summer has almost doubled.
It has been attributed to new ferries and planes between the two countries as well as a marketing drive from Visit Guernsey across social media and French TV.
‘There have been a lot of social media campaigns and French TV campaigns which have absolutely worked,’ Theo Le Tissier said. ‘They’ve even been sponsoring influencers.’
‘Tourism numbers have been higher than normal this summer because of the new ferries,’ Diane Le Sauvage, who works in the newsagent explained.
Guernsey’s tourism board has been encouraging travel influencers to visit and videos showing what the island has to offer has gone viral with #guernsey garnering over thousands of views
The number of French day trippers visiting Guernsey this summer has almost doubled, helping the island’s tourism industry to thrive
Theo Le Tissier (pictured) has noticed the huge influx of French tourists this summer
‘They’ve been great, a lot of them come through the door. They’ve been much more polite than the Brits that we’re used to and hopefully it will continue.’
Hayley Winterflood, who runs a local pub added: ‘They’re ideal tourists.
‘I found it unexpected but we’ve had a lot over this year and it’s great. They’re very friendly, way more friendly thank the Brits, they’re polite, spend money and they’ve taken to pub culture very well.’
One of the big perks for visitors is that they are not required to pay VAT and Diane Gruber who works in a clothes shop and French tourists looking to splash their cash can go ‘crazy’.
Meanwhile, Kevin Castro, who works in a restaurant said they have boosted business.
He said: There have been so many French tourists here this summer, it’s had a big impact on our business.
‘They spend a lot of money, they’re appreciative, and they even tip on top of service charge, you don’t get that with Brits it’s not a guarantee.
‘We want them to keep coming because of them we’ve been able to have more events and plan more.’
Hannah Beacom, Chair of Guernsey’s Tourism Management Board, said: ‘The April to June period is a strong indicator of what we can expect to see during the rest of the tourist season, and there is clearly some very positive news to gleam from this latest data.
‘The Board welcomes the significant rise in visitors from France – a huge benefit from the deal struck between Brittany Ferries and the Committee for Economic Development.
‘I’ve personally noticed a far greater prevalence in French being spoken around St Peter Port and in other tourism hotspots within the island, which is wonderful to hear as we continue to build stronger ties with our French neighbours.’
