The UK is just a few weeks away now from fully reopening and returning back to business as usual – whether or not you feel it’s a good decision may not be important as the wheels are certainly already turning. It has been a year of being stuck inside and seeking out alternative experiences through the likes on online play as if you are looking to play with American express casinos for example many are certainly available, although perhaps undergoing some change recently, but with tourism on the cards once more options begin to open up. The Isle of Wight has always been a great getaway for mainlanders, and with a huge number of popular destinations remaining on the Red and Amber travel lists, it could lead to further island tourism, but is the island ready to welcome tourists back?
Concerns of decline – Earlier in the year an open letter went out suggesting that the island was in decline for a number of different reasons, although important to state the suggested decline was for tourism potential and not local issues – the plans to close historic sites and transform it in to something more akin to a theme park and questions around where the funding would come from, the closure of certain businesses, and the fear that the island is falling out of date with little to attract tourism or particularly new tourism and rising expenses due to the gentrification are all amongst the concerns. It’s not unheard of, and particularly for smaller getaways like this is all too common which has an appeal, but after a year of limited travel and daily activity, does the Isle of Wight have what it needs to attract a larger level of tourism which the island is in dire need of? Only time will tell.
Questionable awards during a year of closure – Other concerns have been raised around award winning tourism locations, particularly as they weren’t used at all when the awards were issued – Camp Wight for example won silver in the New Tourism Business of the Year category, but having only been officially established in 2020, it does raise questions of how it could win an award and whether or not it will take the steam away from others on the island that would better rely on the publicity. These awards will certainly be something that encourages travel, and with potential visitors looking for something to do and the potential for a huge wave of bookings, this publicity could hurt somewhere untested and unknown more than it helps.
Whatever the views may be, an answer will be given sooner rather than later as the middle of June is quickly approaching – will the Isle of Wight be ready to welcome tourists back? That may all be dependent on the numbers, and the attractions tourists hope to see most.
