22/05/2014 BBC Channel Islands News

Good evening. There's early indications Guernsey's managing to

turn around a decline in its tourism industry. Visitor numbers are up two

percent so far this year. And today there was a major event aimdd at

ensuring that trend continuds. Penny Elderfield reports.

This is what Guernsey's tryhng to sell. The way they are markdting and

promoting the island is the landscapes, the good food, safety is

important. All those factors at important and the need to bd shouted

louder. And that's what this is about. Shouting a bit louder about

what the Bailiwick's got to offer, with a captive audience of people

whose job it is to help get more visitors here. The best way of

describing what's going on here is it's a bit like speed dating. Lots

of individual 15`minute appointments, and when the bell

rings you move on to the next appointment. And of course

Guernsey's hoping it'll be the start of lots of new relationships. It is

important for us to meet up with the operators who bring this to the

island. That is why I am so keen to be here. To be face`to`face and

explain exactly what I do and build relationships. To help build on some

signs of growth in the tourhsm industry so far this year. We are up

2% for the first quarter. There is still a long way to go. We `re not

resting on our laurels. We want a strong competitive `` So thd figures

aren't looking bad so far this year. Although it'll really be next year

that people here start to sde whether today's meetings made any

difference. All privately rented accommodation

in Jersey will be regulated in future. Today the States voted in

favour of the proposition to bring in a minimum standard for the rental

market. A registrar of landlords in the island, as well as a lilit on

how much tenants can be charged is now also being investigated, as Emma

Chambers reports. Poor living conditions prompted the UK to

regulate properties and Jersey will follow suit. I think there will be

more safeguards because at the moment somebody may want to complain

and they may not know what their rights are. And one constable 's

motivation was personal as well as political, having seen first`hand

the squalid conditions in some families have to endure. Sole of the

conditions, I would refuse to go into some of the houses. Sole were

dangerous and yet people were being charged rent to go into days, people

with children and that not acceptable. A formal registdr of

landlords is also on the table, as at rent controls. But the housing

minister advises caution. I would get some good sound advice on that

but my gut feeling is that rent control does not work. The best

thing we can do is increase supply. With better protection for the

private rental sector agreed, social housing is next according to the

Minister. House prices in Jersey have fallen

by around six percent since the last peak in 2009. The average price of a

three`bedroom house in the first quarter of this year was thd lowest

it's been for seven years, `t 458,000. The figures releasdd by the

government's statistics unit show that overall there's been a two

percent fall in property values in the last year alone. The figures

contrast with those in the TK which show house prices rose by ehght

percent in the year to the dnd of March, and are still going tp

rapidly. A Jersey pensioner who got larried

less than two years ago has been placed in a different care home to

his wife. John Journeaux is living in Bon Air Court in St Saviour,

which is sheltered housing, but his wife is in L'Hermitage Garddns Care

Home in St Peter. Mr Journe`ux told our reporter Julie Flanagan how the

separation is affecting thel. Newly`wed John Journeaux has only

his wedding photos for comp`ny, as his wife Iris has been placdd in a

care home in a different parish The couple have been married for just 19

months ` and the separation is taking its toll. It is very ported

to my wife because my wife's is going down. We should be together. A

meeting with Social Services about the situation was cancelled,

according to John. And he s`ys he's heard nothing since. But thd Health

Department says that efforts are made to keep couples togethdr. In a

statement, Ian Dyer, the He`d of Older Adults Services said... For

John, only one option appeals ` co`habitation. I love my wife, she

is gorgeous to me. She is the best wife in the world. But for now,

he'll keep making the daily trip to see his wife and keep love `live

from a distance. Heather Watson is on court tomorrow

in the first round qualifying match in the French Open. She's up against

Ukraine's Kateryna Kozlova `nd needs to wind two matches to reach the

main draw. Watson moved back into the World Top 100 tennis pl`yers at

the beginning of the week h`ving won the Prague Open. And here's the

weather. We have seen some heavy showers

around today and there will be more tonight and for tomorrow. Wd will

tend to see more sunny spells than today. The showers tonight could be

quite heavy. We have this rhsk of showers from the word go tolorrow

but we might see more sunny spells. Temperatures getting into ddbt meant

to high teens. `` the mid to high teens. Further showers in store over

the coming days but Sunday hnto Monday issued a getting mord

isolated. after.oon. Feeling cool. I le`va you

wit` after.oon. Feeling cool. I le`va you

throu'h the "ank `olid`y weekdn`. Hello ag`if. Thd atmosphare

throu'h the "ank `olid`y weekdn`. torre.tial downpours and an area

torre.tial downpoqrs and an area of thunderstorm3 worced norphwards

acros3 m`ny thunderstorm3 worced norphwards

aaros3 m`ny thunderstorm3 worced norphwards

is going out of t`ings ngw Mora showers spar!llhng in `rgund `n are!

of dow press5re. Eany places showers spar!llhng in `rgund `n are!

see f5rther rain at tiles