Chris Sharp, of La Fregate Hotel and chairman of the Guernsey Hospitality and Tourism Group, believed nothing but good could come of it.
‘Some people see this as being detrimental to the island and promote scare stories of 20-mile tailbacks, like on the M5,’ he said. ‘But how many do they see coming here?
‘I think they should be encouraged and they could be easily managed. They arrive at a set time on the ferry and can have a designated route to and from the site, which they will travel only twice during their stay. The argument that they will block our roads could also be levelled at our buses and quarry lorries, which doesn’t seem to be the case.’
He said caravanners would contribute to the economy of the island and although they might not spend as much as if they were staying in a hotel or self-catering establishment, the same could be said for day trippers, cruise visitors or campers.
That view was supported by Chris Elliott, Commerce and Employment’s director of marketing and tourism.
‘The department has looked at the issue of allowing caravans to visit Guernsey before,’ he said.
‘Its view is that these would be extra holidaymakers and that if some concerns could be addressed, the idea should be supported.
‘It would be important to make sure, perhaps by the issuing of dated permits, that these were only touring caravans coming here for one or two weeks rather than semi-permanent mobile homes and that they were to be used by genuine holidaymakers rather than as accommodation for workers. They would have to be going to a designated and pre-booked campsite.
‘We believe the campsite owners would need to be responsible for providing the owners with maps showing the shortest and safest route from the ferry to the campsite and back again – we obviously wouldn’t want vans getting lost on single-track ruettes tranquilles.
‘Jersey lifted restrictions on caravans a few years ago and put similar safeguards in place and staff in tourism there report that there have been very few problems.’