A collective of Isle of Wight businesses have raised their concerns over Visit Isle of Wight’s Destination Business Improvement District (D-BID) Levy – and are coming up with an alternative that they believe will better benefit local businesses, affording them the control that they deserve over the future of their business and the Island as a whole.
In recent months, the Island and its businesses have been made aware of the withdrawal of funding by the Isle of Wight Council to the Destination Management Organisation, leaving a shortfall in excess of £300,000 per annum to the promotion and advertising of the Island as a whole. In reaction to the funding cuts, the DMO are looking to add a levy to all Isle of Wight tourism-based businesses, at a rate of 1.75%.
Managing Director of Isleofwight.com, Kevin Daniells, is concerned about the proposed scheme and has instead worked with a collective of businesses to create an alternative. Kevin says:
“Here at Isleofwight.com, we really feel like this levy is adding an extra pressure to businesses – many of which are already struggling as a direct result to falling tourism underneath the DMO.
“We know that tourism has dropped from £287 million to £263 million in just two years, and we know that day visitor spend has dropped by nearly 29% in that time. We’re very concerned that the levy may not work, and that businesses have instead opted into a scheme resulting in five years of lost control and wasted earnings.
“We’d like to let businesses know that they’re not the only ones worried about the scheme, and that we’re beginning to work with a collective of businesses here to help provide advice, and a healthy alternative to the scheme which will really leave them in control of their future.”
Paul Magee, Founding Director of Social Heroes, is working closely with Kevin on an alternative for the scheme. Paul says:
“Here at Social Heroes we work with tourism-based businesses all across the Island and we know the real potential each of these have, if only they had the right leverage and capability to bring their fresh ideas to the forefront. We know that the landscape of marketing and promotion is changing rapidly to be highly digital. We really believe that our alternative will help businesses be individually excellent but collectively amazing and we can’t wait share it with you all.”
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Isleofwight.com has teamed up with Digital Marketing Agency Social Heroes, to provide an alternative for businesses that leave them in control of their own marketing; for their businesses individually and collectively for the Island as a whole. Their full strategy will be released in the coming weeks, and all Island businesses will be invited to a workshop demonstrating the strategy in full.
