Guernsey’s economy has been underpinned by a culture of innovation for centuries, and today is no different.
Working alongside our more traditional industries, there are a number of innovative sectors developing in Guernsey that offer new and exciting opportunities for any business.
The States of Guernsey is committed to ensuring that new sectors and businesses flourish.
Finance
For more than fifty years, Guernsey has been one of the world’s best-regarded and most successful international finance centres.
Tourism & Hospitality
Tourism and hospitality is a developing and thriving sector for Guernsey. Continual investment offers high-quality, ever-improving hotels on the island, as well as a range of events and activities throughout the year.
The island also offers a wide variety of independent restaurants and cafés serving fresh local produce and mouth-watering dishes. Guernsey really is unique.
Guernsey is also a great place for business travellers, flying here via commercial or private aviation. We have a wide selection of quality hotels and accommodation, many with conferencing facilities. In addition to the short flight times from the UK, journeys are never long in Guernsey, allowing business people to get the most from their visits whilst still having time to fully appreciate the island.
The States of Guernsey undertakes strong off-island marketing under the VisitGuernsey brand promoting Guernsey to the tourist market through a variety of marketing campaigns.
Guernsey’s unique history and heritage, its fascinating sister islands and its wide variety of activities and attractions, are just a few of the reasons that well over 300,000 people visit the island each year.
Retail
The attractive and compact pedestrian area of St Peter Port is a magnet for islanders and visitors, comprising an eclectic mix of retailers, from national and international names to much-loved local boutiques. Our VAT-free prices and Sunday opening make Guernsey ideal for those who enjoy a relaxed shopping experience in beautiful surroundings.
Rural centres elsewhere in the island also offer shopping opportunities in the parishes of St Sampson and St Martin.
Creative Industries
The island is home to more than 1,000 people working in the Creative Industries, which reflects a community that is making an increasing contribution to a diversified economy. Guernsey is also the chosen location of the largest in-house Creative team in Great Britain, with the multi-award-winning Creative Department of Specsavers being based on the island.
Across a wide range of creative disciplines – including web and software development, architecture, design, advertising, and film and video – talented and highly-skilled people help to make Guernsey a great place for creativity.
ICT, Digital & FinTech
The States of Guernsey supports and develops ICT, Digital and FinTech as an emerging sector.
Agriculture
With its naturally beautiful landscape, Guernsey’s traditional industries of agriculture, horticulture and fishing continue to have an important place in the island’s environment and economy.
A large proportion of Guernsey’s farmland can be seen inhabited by the world-famous Guernsey cow, a unique breed renowned for producing rich and creamy dairy products with a distinct golden colour.
The Guernsey Dairy distributes their milk as well as manufacturing cheese, cream, ice-cream, and the much-loved Guernsey butter, international demand for which means that approximately 25% of butter produced is exported to the UK and the continent.
Guernsey, with its surrounding local waters, is well regarded as providing some of the finest quality seafood available. Many of the island’s excellent restaurants serve up lobster, crab and other delicacies caught daily by the fleet of local fishermen, who also have a healthy export trade with France.
