Guernsey hotels 'hopeful' as inter-island ferry launches
Hoteliers in Guernsey said they were feeling "hopeful" that the new Islands Unlimited ferry service would increase visitor numbers from Jersey, as figures showed passenger movements from the largest Channel Island were down half in 2025 compared to 2024.Chad Murray, CEO at Islands Unlimited, said he was feeling "nervous and excited" ahead of the launch.Islanders were being told to use the service, which would offer multiple daily services between Guernsey and Jersey, or lose it.The service was scheduled to make its maiden voyage from Guernsey at 07:00 BST on Thursday, six days later than scheduled.
Andrew Chantrell, general manager at the Old Government House Hotel, said the service was a "great opportunity"."Hopefully, we'll see a similar number [of visitors from Jersey than has been seen from France] because that link to Jersey is really important to us" he said."It's not just the Jersey market coming to Guernsey, but we also saw in the past the twin centre breaks."Particularly from the European market using that link between the two islands to come over to Guernsey for a few nights, go back to Jersey and fly home from there."
The latest figures from Visit Guernsey showed passenger movements from Jersey were down by half between January and April 2025, compared to the same period in 2024.Charlie Walker, director of the Little Big Hotel Group and Vice President of the Tourism Management Board, said the Jersey market was "huge" for the bailiwick."I do wonder to a degree whether it's been ignored. If you consider in 2024, 67,000 in terms of passenger numbers between Guernsey and Jersey, so far towards the end of April the numbers are showing about 6,000" she said."So we're 50% down already, we've got to see at least 60,000 movements to match 2024, never mind see a growth in those numbers coming through. "We don't want to be sitting here talking about managed decline, we want to see an increase in these tours and numbers increasing going forward."
Flights 'expensive'
While hoteliers in the island claimed the number of people, especially from France, staying overnight had increased, Karel Harris, director of the Sarnia Hotel Group, said the number of people staying overnight from Jersey had 'disappeared'."It's a shame really because we used to have so many more staying visitors from Jersey but over the years the connectivity with the flights has become so expensive, so let's hope we see an increase again."Mr Murray, from Islands Unlimited, said the company was in touch with tourism and hospitality sectors in both islands."I think there is a market for everyone. We want to try and make it accessible and also meet the strategic obligations that the islands want in terms of growing their visitor economy.""There's a great opportunity and we just need to make sure that people are using it, if it is not sustainable then it's obviously not something that will be able to continue in the future."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
13 minutes ago
- The Sun
Shoppers rush to nab outdoor pool for just £45 in Lidl – it's big enough for the whole family but you need to be quick
DIVE IN The bargain won't be around forever so act fast IT'S weekends like this that many of us would kill for our own swimming pool. And this weekend you could be in luck as shoppers are nabbing exactly that for under £50 at Lidl. 2 2 Taking to the Facebook group Extreme Couponing & Bargains UK, one mum shared her hot weather find. She revealed that she had picked up the Crivit Frame Pool from the German supermarket on special offer down from £69.99. Explaining how she got more money off, she wrote: 'Absolute bargain considering the best way 10ft pool is currently on offer for £100 online 'Was uploaded yesterday save £15 on the 10ft frame pool using the Lidl plus app, I managed to get an extra £5 off today so got it for £45, comes with a pump absolute bargain!' Fellow bargain-hunters were quick to gush over her find, with many agreeing it was an excellent find. Commenting on the post, one wrote: 'I've had one for last few summers and one of the best items I've ever bought for my kids.' 'I've had that pool it's ace,' added another, while a third wrote, 'It's such a bargain. I managed to get one today.' However, it seems that not everyone was full of praise with some group members describing the 10ft pool as 'small.' But the mum was quick to clap-back at her haters. She wrote: 'It's a 10ft pool for all those saying it's small 😅 it took around 3hrs just under to fill up (depends on your hose pressure I guess) I bought a cover on Amazon for a 10ft pool and fits perfectly, you can also check stock in shops on the Lidl website.' Five Lidl rosés you need this summer, according to a wine expert - a £6.99 buy is as light & crispy as £22 Whispering Angel It is important to remember to always shop around when buying something like this as you might find a cheaper alternative. Websites like Trolley and Price Spy let you compare thousands of products across different retailers to find the best price. Price Spy even lets you see how much an item has cost over time, so you can see if the current price is a good deal. A quick scan on the Google Shopping/Product tab will also bring up how much retailers are selling a certain item for. IF you've ever shopped in Aldi or Lidl then you'll probably have experienced its ultra-fast checkout staff. Aldi's speedy reputation is no mistake, in fact, the supermarket claims that its tills are 40 per cent quicker than rivals. It's all part of Aldi's plan to be as efficient as possible - and this, the budget shop claims, helps keep costs low for shoppers. Efficient barcodes on packaging means staff are able to scan items as quickly as possible, with the majority of products having multiple barcodes to speed up the process. It also uses 'shelf-ready' packaging which keeps costs low when it comes to replenishing stock.
Times
24 minutes ago
- Times
Will a chatbot give me a job? I put AI recruitment to the test
The pot plant on the filing cabinet behind my interviewer's head needs water. Its curling leaves distract me as the floppy-haired recruiter in a crumpled black polo shirt poses his next question: 'In the role of tax consultant at McKinsey, balancing technical expertise with interpersonal skills enhances client relationships. Can you share an example of how your organisational skills and multitasking have benefited a specific task?' I gabble through my recent work organising a large charity auction in my spare time, while juggling work deadlines and three busy children. The interviewer nods, looking impressed. 'It's fantastic that you bring those soft skills to the table.' The grilling goes well until I hit some actual tax questions and stumble. My two decades in business journalism will not, it's clear, secure me a role as one of McKinsey's newest tax consultants. But thousands of words of post-interview feedback arrive seconds later, and they are gently encouraging. 'You demonstrated your ability to mobilise resources and engage others … but need to practise emphasising how your unique abilities will benefit the company.' Impressive — since the whole recruitment process was carried out by robots. For £70 a month, website Final Round AI offers mock interviews with a human-like chatbot. Its questions are honed to any job listing you provide plus your CV. McKinsey had no involvement with the process, but one of its applicants might well have practised here first. The CV I used was concocted by AIApply, which also makes cover letters specific to the demands of any job posting. A monthly subscription costs £23. Before interviews, it provided a list of likely questions alongside what it deemed perfect answers. No need to learn them, though; for £29.99 a month the Interview Buddy app offers 'real-time assistance during job interviews, helping you answer questions confidently'. Using this app during my mock video interview, it perfectly detects questions and rapidly bashes out uninspiring but detailed and accurate responses. Propping up my phone next to my webcam, I can easily reel off these AI responses to the, er, AI recruiter's questions: This may sound outlandish, but it's happening: TikTok hosts thousands of videos of candidates undertaking real interviews while using ChatGPT-fed answers. Human resources might need to be redefined as inhuman resources: hiring work often pits employers' AI systems against candidates' AI-generated responses. Amid the frenzied talk about how AI is going to transform our working lives, in recruitment, it already has. More than two-thirds of HR professionals use AI at work in the UK, according to research by tech firm The Access Group. That's far higher than in the EU, where it's only 38 per cent of firms, according to European tech firm SD Worx. Anyone who hasn't applied for a job in five years will find being hired is an entirely new process. Applicant tracking systems (ATS) now scan and rank CVs and cover letters based on the inclusion of set keywords to whittle down the number of candidates, meaning a human may never see the majority of CVs sent in for a role. Those who make it through may then face 'asynchronous video interviews', where candidates are filmed answering written questions that flash up like a PowerPoint presentation, before AI systems assess their answers, or chatbot-led interviews, like mine. Recruiters have the upper hand: the number of job vacancies in the UK has dropped from 1.3 million in 2022, to just 761,000 in the three months to April. The concurrent adoption of AI by employers and applicants has created a race to the bottom. Firms are receiving an influx of thousands of chatbot-generated applications, while candidates report feeling dehumanised by the process. 'It was awful,' communications manager Laura Andrews said of a recent AI-led job application for a UK water utility. 'After an automated email saying I had been shortlisted, I had a video interview with a slideshow of questions listed on screen. It was really strange not having any kind of response from an interviewer to know how it was going. Without human interaction, my personality didn't show, and I think for neurodivergent people, it would be very hard.' Weeks later, Andrews still hadn't heard back. 'I was ghosted, which is usual with roles now,' she added. 'I applied for more than 100 jobs in three months, and 80 per cent of the time I heard nothing at all. 'I couldn't contact the interviewer, as they didn't exist. When I chased with the recruiter, I was told it was a 'system error'. That's the flavour of the job search now: being AI-led, companies don't seem to care about candidates. The lack of feedback or even acknowledgement of applications that take hours to tailor felt isolating.' This is a common complaint, according to Amelia Miller, whose start-up, Ivee, helps women return to work after a career break. 'Recruitment used to be a human process. Now, jobseekers are up against AI algorithms. The current market isn't sustainable. Recruitment teams are drowning in job applications with features like LinkedIn's 'easy apply' [which allows candidates to submit their CV in just a few clicks], along with hundreds of emails and messages. I believe this will lead to the death of the job application,' she said. In the US, some recruiters have already moved to 'agentic AI', relying on bots to handle the admin of organising job interviews. But while some claim that AI's transformation of the job search removes human bias, others say it embeds it. University of Washington research used real CVs but varied names associated with white and black jobseekers into AI recruitment systems, and found AI favoured the white-associated names 85 per cent of the time. Female-associated names were picked only 11 per cent of the time. 'If we're not careful, AI will just automate discrimination at scale,' Miller added. Khyati Sundaram, chief executive of the ATS firm Applied, added: 'AI interviewers trained on datasets dominated by American speakers, for example, can be biased against candidates with different accents, non-native English speakers or individuals with disabilities that affect their speech. 'When assessing candidates' facial expressions, eye movement, hand gestures and tone of voice, biased bots can also favour those with a neurotypical communication style. Candidates who communicate differently can be ruled out of the running, regardless of [their] skills… reinforcing existing workforce inequalities.' Not all candidates despise the changes, however. Rachel, a jobseeker who did not want her surname published, said ChatGPT and its rival, Claude, were 'huge timesavers.' 'I used them to refine cover letters, tailor them to job descriptions, and insert the right keywords,' she said. 'Recruiters are using AI, so I need to speak their language to pass the screenings. ChatGPT stripped out my personal attachment to my CV and showed me what was key and what was fluff, and what recruiters would ask me. It takes the legwork out of applications.' To those returning to the job market after a long time, the recruitment landscape will 'feel very alien,' Miller acknowledged. 'The best thing you can do is learn how to use AI. Avoid applying for jobs on inundated sites such as LinkedIn and Indeed, and turn towards company websites and niche job boards to lessen the competition. Focus on building your network: ask for warm introductions and leverage the human element of recruitment as much as you can.' The job market is being taken over by algorithms, but for now, the human touch still opens some doors. 'The market's more competitive than ever and the sheer number of tools and platforms can feel overwhelming,' says Kevin Fitzgerald, UK managing director of recruiter Employment Hero. 'Your CV has to be AI-literate.' Here are his tips on how to get it right: Match the job description: Use the exact keywords and phrases from the job ad, especially for skills, tools and job titles. Keep formatting simple: Stick to clean layouts. Avoid graphics, columns etc, as they can confuse Applicant Tracking Software. Stick to Word or PDF. Use specific, hard skills: List tools or certifications relevant to the role such as Xero, Python, CRM management. Quantify your achievements: Add real numbers where possible such as 'cut costs by 15 per cent' or 'trained five new hires'. Avoid generic buzzwords: Terms such as 'motivated' or 'team player' don't help. Use language that's specific and meaningful. Tailor your CV every time: Make slight edits for each application. Use AI tools but edit carefully: ChatGPT and other AI tools can help draft or refine your CV, but always review for tone, accuracy and clarity. It should still sound like you.
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Georgia Kousoulou and Tommy Mallett get married for a second time as they say ‘I do' in stunning outdoor wedding
THE Only Way Is Essex lovebirds Georgia Kousoulou and Tommy Mallett have had a second wedding. The reality TV stars put on a lavish event on the Spanish island of Mallorca on Friday, which also marked Georgia's 34th birthday. 3 3 They first tied the knot in 2023 in an understated ceremony, but finally got to have their "dream wedding." "Our Dream wedding finally happened," they posted to Instagram alongside two photos from their outdoor ceremony. "Best day of our lives. Surrounded by so much love. Can not wait to get all of our pictures & videos back to show you how incredible it was & you'll be able to watch it all." Georgia looked stunning in an embellished white gown complete with a thigh-high split and which she paired with a strappy pair of silver stilletos. Tommy opted for a sand coloured suit and open white shirt for his big days. They married at an opulent Spanish villa and said 'I do' under a canopy of red flowers. The couple's two children, Brody, four, and Gigi, seven months were in attendance as were plenty of their Towie friends. Some of the other reality stars to be at their nuptials included, Chloe Ross, Sam Mucklow and Danielle Armstrong. Their friends gushed over the stunning ceremony in the comments section of Georgia's Instagram post. "No words!! Still speechless.. everything was perfect from start to finish. Wedding of the year! You looked breathtaking. Thank you for letting us be part of the day.. love you so bloody much 🤍 ROUND 2 BABY!!!!!" wrote hairdresser Amber Dowding. Inside Tommy Mallet and Georgia Kousoulou's luxury family holiday to Mallorca Danielle Armstrong added: "Literally the best wedding EVER!!! Love you guys congratulations 🥂 Round 2 later." Wedding planner, Johanna Lane commented: "My gorgeous friends & the best bride & groom ever 🙌 What a day." Georgia previously opened up to The Sun about the couple's first wedding. ecember 2023 was a much more low-key affair and ended with a humble Chinese takeaway. "We came back to mine and had a Chinese. It was unreal. It is so me and Tommy," she said. "I literally got back, got my PJs on straight away and we had a Chinese." She added: "The best bit about it was that we hired tables. So we had a top table…And we all just stuffed our faces with Chinese … it was actually brilliant. So good." 3
