Locate Guernsey's 2024 Review
As we head into 2025, the Locate Guernsey team reflect on another successful year.
2024 was an exceptionally busy year for Locate Guernsey, marked by a record number of enquiries from individuals and businesses considering a move to the island. Notably, we saw a significant increase in enquiries from those looking to leave the UK, driven by the removal of the non-dom regime and later the change in government, which saw many consider whether it was time for a fresh start.
Locate Guernsey’s events diary was also as jampacked as ever, as the team continued with its off-island promotion, as well as local settling-in events.
In June, the Spirit Yachts Regatta returned to Guernsey. After a successful inaugural event in 2022, Locate Guernsey was delighted to once again be the Regatta’s official event partner. Spirit Yachts are beautiful handmade wooden yachts which have featured in two James Bond films, so seeing eight of them travel to Guernsey for a week of competitive racing was incredibly exciting. Sailing was accompanied by a variety of social activities for the crews, owners, and their families, allowing them to experience the beauty of our island. The regatta was a resounding success, and the team has received fantastic feedback from visitors about their time here with many planning return trips.
As part of the Regatta, Locate Guernsey held a networking reception for recent arrivals to the island. The reception was attended by over 100 people and offered attendees the opportunity to visit the Spirit Yachts and meet the team.
This reception was just one of the many events Locate Guernsey organised for newcomers to the island in 2024. Relocating somewhere new can often be a daunting prospect, which is often partly due to the concern of leaving behind existing friendship groups and networks. To address this, Locate Guernsey organise settling-in events throughout the year, to offer newcomers a chance to forge new friendships and establish their networks, as well as to explore different parts of the island. We are so pleased with how popular these events are and it’s always so wonderful to see people exchanging numbers or arranging to meet up following one of these events. Locate Guernsey is also incredibly grateful to the local businesses that sponsor these events, which means they can be delivered at no cost to Locate Guernsey.
Our flagship event of the year was the Relocate to Guernsey Show, which took place in London on Tuesday 8th October. After such a successful inaugural event in 2023, the team were very excited to be back for a second year to promote the island to prospective relocators and their advisers. The event followed a similar format to the previous year, with an exhibition area that showcased 21 local businesses involved in the relocation process, including tax advisers, lawyers, property specialists, and education providers. Throughout the day, we also held several informative talks, providing attendees with valuable insights into life in Guernsey. We are incredibly thankful to the businesses that supported this year’s event and the local ambassadors who joined us to highlight the extraordinary lifestyle Guernsey offers.
Want a recap of the day?
Watch our Relocate to Guernsey Show 2024 highlights here
In addition to the Show, Locate Guernsey continued to promote its services to the private client adviser community in the UK. This has always been a vital part of our promotion, as it’s important that private client advisers of HNW individuals are aware of the many benefits of Guernsey as a relocation destination, the ease of relocation via the Open Market, and how Locate Guernsey can assist their clients throughout their moves. Given the recent political changes in the UK which has led to many HNW individuals considering leaving the UK, this promotional activity was as important as ever.
Throughout the year, the team also attended, and spoke at, various networking events in London, Manchester, and Guernsey. Notably, Locate Guernsey sponsored the HNW Advisor Conference in Manchester, where Locate Guernsey’s Director, Jo Stoddart, spoke on a panel session with a Guernsey tax adviser to explain the benefits of relocation to Guernsey to the private client audience.
Locate Guernsey continued to work closely with its sister agency, Guernsey Finance, attending their Funds Forum and Private Wealth Conference events. Attending Guernsey Finance’s events is another excellent opportunity to promote Guernsey to advisers who work with HNW individuals and businesses. Many of the individuals attending Guernsey Finance’s events will have had business dealings with the island, but may not be aware of the opportunities for relocation. This is therefore a fantastic opportunity to meet and speak with these individuals.
In November, Locate Guernsey’s Director, Jo Stoddart, travelled to Singapore and Hong Kong to continue our promotion in these two jurisdictions. Locate Guernsey has seen a surge in interest in recent years from those looking to relocate from Singapore and Hong Kong, so this visit was an excellent opportunity for the team to connect with prospective relocators and their advisers in these areas.
Jo first travelled to Singapore to attend the STEP Asia Conference as part of a Guernsey delegation organised by Guernsey Finance. As Gold Sponsor of the Conference, Guernsey Finance had an exhibition stand at the event and also arranged additional meetings with professional intermediaries in the days before and after the two-day conference. Jo then went on to Hong Kong to continue Locate Guernsey’s promotion, following a successful visit in 2023. During her time in Hong Kong, Jo hosted a reception for those looking to learn more about Guernsey, which was very well attended. Jo also held additional meetings with both local advisers and potential relocators to discuss Guernsey and the relocation process.
Locate Guernsey has also complemented its events diary with additional promotional activity, including printed ads in prominent publications and creative digital campaigns focussing on those looking for a lifestyle change. These campaigns, which focused on key areas where we have seen interest, were designed to reach a wider audience interested in relocation. As part of the Relocate to Guernsey Show promotion, we also ran a two-week ad campaign across various popular London Tube locations. The campaign ran for two weeks and reached over 1.82 million people.
As we reflect on the year, we are also incredibly excited for all that the New Year will bring us. Building on the momentum of 2024, we anticipate a continued stream of enquiries from individuals and businesses seeking a fresh start on our beautiful island. The ongoing interest from the UK market, along with expanding outreach in key international locations such as Singapore and Hong Kong, will continue to be a key focus for the team and we have some exciting events planned, as we ensure that the island remains a top choice for high-net-worth individuals and families considering relocation. The Relocate to Guernsey Show will return on Thursday 9th October, and we will shortly be reaching out to local businesses for their interest in sponsoring and exhibiting at the Show. Our settling-in events diary will also be as busy as ever and we have some fantastic events lined up that we know our relocators will enjoy!
We would also like to take this opportunity to thank those we worked with in 2024, including those who moved to the island during the year and the many businesses that have supported us.
If you are considering relocating to the island, the team at Locate Guernsey are on hand to provide confidential guidance throughout your relocation journey free of charge. If you would like to understand how Guernsey could work for you, please get in touch on 01481 220011 or email enquiries@locateguernsey.com.
