Condor says bookings for car passengers to Guernsey continue to improve, but recovery in the numbers to Jersey is slower.

Numbers on services from the UK to Guernsey are up 7% on 2019 levels, while from France they are up 18% - or 1,300 vehicles.

For Jersey-bound services, car passengers numbers have increased by 5% from the UK and just 3% from France, compared to four years ago.

Condor's tour operator business, Condor Breaks, has sold twice as many holidays into the islands compared to last year.

Greg Yeoman, Condor’s Commercial Director,  thinks that growth is down to returning consumer confidence, joint marketing efforts and the increasing popularity of the new holiday company.

"The forward bookings for this season we reported earlier this year were very encouraging and it is fantastic to see this continued improvement into the summer season. This shows that consumers are looking to travel with their vehicles in greater numbers than in the recent past.

‘In conjunction with Visit Guernsey, we have been proactively marketing the Island on the continent and in the UK so the positive figures for car passengers and holiday bookings are a reflection of holidaymakers’ desire for both short and longer stays in Guernsey.

We estimate that this increase contributes an additional 5,000 bed nights this year compared to 2019."

The ferry firm says foot passenger numbers to both islands have still not recovered, due in part to French travellers now needing a passport overnight stays.

That could also be a factor in the slower growth in car passengers on the Jersey route:

"The Jersey numbers overall represent an increase of 1,000 cars over 2019, which was also a strong year for passenger travel to the Island.

We are therefore very pleased with the progress and specifically our carryings from France – despite the passport issues which are still impacting on staying visitors – are up in comparison with 2019."

Since April, a pilot scheme has been operating in Jersey and Guernsey that allows French day-trippers to travel to the Channel Islands using just their national ID card. 

It was introduced because post-Brexit rules that demanded French nationals have a passport had led to slump in visitors from neighbouring France.