More people travelling to and from Jersey, say ports

More than 85,000 people travelled to and from the island in January, according to latest figures from Ports of Jersey.

The organisation said this was a 15% rise in people travelling through the harbour compared with January last year, and a 4% increase in the number travelling through the airport.

Ferry operator DFDS said figures for the sailings between Jersey and St Malo in January were up 31% compared with the same period in 2025.

It added its overall bookings for the year had risen by an even greater margin - with more group travel to the island booked already for this summer than during the whole of last year.

Last summer saw a fall in visitor numbers - in August, 75,100 people came to the island, which was a drop of 18,400 compared to the year before.

Since DFDS started operating Jersey routes in March it has faced criticism over its schedule, freight charges, a lack of inter-island sailings and reliability issues, but the firm's route director Chris Parker said the latest figures showed a "growing confidence" in the island's routes.

He said: "Seeing such strong growth across our Jersey services, alongside a very positive forward booking position for the summer, gives us confidence in the continued strength of demand for travel to and from the Island."

He said the company planned to continue working with partners in the UK and France to support tourism to the island and increase passenger numbers across Channel routes.

Business leaders welcomed the figures.

President of the Jersey Chamber of Commerce, Lee Madden, said passenger numbers at the airport and harbour were "a key indicator of the strength of our economy".

He said the January figures were encouraging but he was particularly excited about opportunities for regional travel in 2026.

He said: "Jersey continues to demonstrate exceptional strength in regional connectivity, with airlines and operators such as easyJet, British Airways, Jet2, KLM, Loganair, Aurigny, Aer Lingus, Lufthansa and DFDS all planning significant growth in 2026.

"This expansion not only enhances our island's accessibility but also reinforces the vital role that strong connectivity plays in supporting economic prosperity."

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