Leisure holiday specialist David Williams has joined Wightlink Ferries as Head of Marketing and predicts the Isle of Wight is in an excellent position to benefit from the ‘staycation’ trend for years to come.
David was previously Head of Marketing (UK and Ireland) at Wendy Wu Tours, a leading operator to China and South East Asia. Before that, he was Group Head of Marketing for Serenity Holidays.
He is looking forward to working closely with Visit Isle of Wight and the Island’s tourism businesses as Wightlink gears up for the 2022 summer season.
David says:
“Many thousands of holidaymakers discovered the charms of the Island for the first time during the pandemic. Wightlink wants to encourage them to come back again, enjoy another great break and help boost the Island’s economy.
“On the Isle of Wight, holidays are ‘like they used to be’. There is something for everyone whether they want a family beach holiday, a gourmet foodie break or an adventure in the fresh air for walkers, cyclists, and people who like getting out on the water to sail, windsurf or paddle board.”
David believes the growing popularity of sustainable travel, in the wake of the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow, will lead to more people taking holidays closer to home, without the need for air travel and passport queues:
“Wightlink’s green credentials are second-to-none. We are cutting emissions by operating England’s first hybrid electric ferry, promoting local producers and partnering with environmental organisations to protect the Solent and the Isle of Wight.”
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Here’s a marketing idea – reduce your fares so that the community that depends on you can actually afford to travel. If the fares were affordable we might travel more – win win for you.
Typically it’s all about holiday makers. Island residents and commuters not even on the radar!
Well, of course!
it’s much easier to fleece tourists rather than island residents who are inherently suspicious of all the ferry companies, especially Wightlink.
We have had to endure years of an expensive, unreliable, disjointed service and surly behaviour from ferry management and some staff.
Unlike tourists, it is not a pleasant experience regularly using the ferries if you’re an island resident. It’s an expensive chore.
that is because a commuter pays about £1800 per year for a season ticket, which works out at £3.75 per trip, if you do 5 days a week, for 48 weeks of the year – the other four weeks are annual leave. The tourists and day trippers that do a bit of shopping in pompey are the ones that cover the running costs of the loss making commuter boats.
If there were no tourists paying the higher prices, the service would cease to operate, as the amount charged for commuters and the numbers travelling don’t even cover running costs of an hourly boat service.
Just spent nearly an hour freezing in the makeshift waiting room at Portsmouth Harbour. How about investing in some heaters.
“Wightlink’s green credentials are second-to-none.”
So are your prices pal
Good luck
Wightlink are so proud of their reduction in pollution(30% I believe?).
Nothing to do with 30% less crossings due to absent member of crew or broken boat,Link Span??
If he is really serious about improving things at Wightlink; he really needs to sort out their abysmal customer service, chronic un-reliability, and extotionate prices. I won’t hold my breath !
I thought it read David Walliams at 1st, after all Wightlink are a bit of a joke, and not a funny one, so yeah David Walliams might be a better head of marketing.
Mr Williams take Shitelink back to basics and make it fit for purpose.
Start by supplying a service to the Island Residents Rather than Island Residents having to Alter their plans around your irratic service.
If an Islander has an appointment or an onward train etc,They can NEVER be confident that the Solent crossing will be at the stateted time or Run at all. because a essential crew member is unavailable!
Just a little suggestion, how about training other crew members(that maybe on a rest day) in that essential task to cover in this unforseen absence (getting a financial bonus for covering).
You are a essential service for Islanders!
Wightlink are still up to their unreliable and deceitful ways. I have just tried to book with them because of their Black Friday discounts. Not one penny is discounted. Beware.