Newly released figures show that the Isle of Wight has suffered another year-on-year drop in visitor numbers in the first 6 months of 2025, with data revealing worrying trends that point to transport issues and a decline in family holidays.
While overall visitor spending rose, the reduction in arrivals adds weight to concerns that the Island is losing its appeal to key markets – or is just not being marketed properly.
The Isle of Wight Passenger Survey recorded 826,249 visitors between January and June this year, a 5.1% fall compared to the same period in 2024.
One of the most significant findings is an 11% drop in the number of people travelling by car. In 2024, 58% of visitors relied on their own vehicle, but that figure fell to just 47% in 2025. This sharp fall is likely linked to the rising cost and ongoing reliability complaints about cross-Solent ferry services.
The report also highlights a shift in visitor demographics. Adult-only groups now account for some 89% of all visitors, leaving family groups at just 11% of the total market. This is a concerning development for family-focused attractions and accommodation providers, who are now competing over a shrinking share of the tourist trade.
Despite fewer visitors, those who did travel to the Isle of Wight in early 2025 spent more on average. However, industry observers warn that increasing spend per head is not enough to offset the loss of families – a group that traditionally stays longer, visits multiple attractions, and underpins the Island’s holiday economy.
The total visitor spend (which excludes cross-Solent travel) dropped by 1.5% to £101.2million.
Visit Isle of Wight says it has combined the first quarters (1st Jan-31st June) of 2025 to present a more representative and statistically robust perspective for the period, as Easter fell in Quarter 2 in 2025, compared to Quarter 1 in 2024.
Will Myles, Managing Director at Visit Isle of Wight, has said:
“The results of the combined Q1 and Q2 statistics for visitors to the Isle of Wight, whilst showing a year-on-year decline are less impactful than national statistics suggest.
“I have spoken to many businesses in the sector and while some are feeling the hit more than others, I hope that the Island’s tourism industry will see that the picture here is not as bad as the national picture”.
Will adds that Visit Isle of Wight continues to have its ‘sleeves rolled up’ and ready to ‘battle our corner with and on behalf of the Island’s tourism industry’. But there is a growing feeling locally that Visit Isle of Wight may lose the next D-BID vote when it comes up for renewal in May next year.
It’s not a case of they are spending more, but everything has gone up so much due to high costs for businesses and this needs to be taken into account. I have a guest accommodation and we are just not getting enough people staying even with all the advertising.
When I was at school, June had 30 days. Maybe that explains it…..
When I was at school, June had 30 days. Maybe that is the problem……
The reason is sadly very simple; the ferries are too expensive and unreliable. That’s what is putting people off coming to the Island
That and the fact that old school attractions like crazy golf don’t attract the big spenders and well off families anymore. Robin Hill is trying their best but needs more like them.
£8 a game along Shanklin Esplanade, daylight
robbery.
I notice they have put the toy grabbing machines
up from £3 to £4 during the school holidays.
Can buy such toys in many shops for less than
£2 each
So many businesses take the p*ss out of people
especially during the school holidays.
Does this take into account the thousands that sail to the island and the thousands. that fly to the island. Saying that it dosen’t help when small family businesses are putting huge premiums on there prices during holidays
especially along the Shanklin seafront
Who are the thousands that fly to the Island? Where to, Bembridge or Sandown? Or are you counting hovercraft as air travel? There is no scheduled commercial air service. Whilst it is true that there is a heavy premium on the school holiday weeks, that is the same everywhere. The reality is that rip-off Britain makes holidaying in the UK very expensive and it cannot compete with the Costas etc.
Businesses along Shanklin seafront are a joke.
I buy my ice creams from High Street shops etc
4 magnums less than £3.00
Seafront prices = £12.00+
What a surprise the island is a dump ferries are joke old worn out towns filthy, scum deadhead druggy people everywhere..its just not a nice place go abroad it’s a so different ..and cheaper.
Visit Isle of Wight (the official tourist board) who are paid by BID levy payers – tourism businesses – on the island are simply not doing enough. They should be advertising sufficiently and making sure the slump isn’t happening in the first place. The ferry company directors are also directors of VIOW! They (Will Myles and co) are paid to do a job… Do it instead of stating the obvious! The BID vote is next year – I suggest voting against a further term for Visit Isle of Wight syphoning money.
Surprised? Errr .. NO. The ferries are the number one problem. Access is everything.
The price of the ferry plus so many cancellations if the ferry for whatever reason they can think of. Just imagine getting to the port with children and having to wait maybe a couple if hours for the ferry due to cancellations what are people supposed to do it’s bad enough if you’re a couple. So you’re correct about the ferries.
Im note so sure those figures are right. The amount of traffic has increased from previous years . The ferries are packed and all of the holiday homes I work with seem to be filled just fine.
Doesn’t surprise me at all.
The most expensive ferry fares in the world
per mile.
24/7 364 days a year nightly parking charges
of £2.00
50p to use public conveniences.
Also shabby Sandown etc etc
Dorset, Devon and Cornwall have so much
more to offer and you don’t have to pay over
£300.00 to cross 5 miles of water.
The island is doomed!, wait for the job losses
and more business closures after the school
holidays.
No surprise really. That’s why a fixed link needs investigating. If island businesses don’t support it then they will all be going bankrupt
You are spot on. A fixed link is the only answer.
Whoever is responsible for tourism on the island
couldn’t undo a packet of crisps.
Well said. Progress here has been thwarted on many levels for years, and now we reap the rewards. Or penalties.
The Island has a thriving holiday trade for decades without a fixed link. The ferries were then less expensive as was the cost of everything. But everwhere in the UK that relies on tourism has seen changes as people have different expectations now.
Hopefully all the slow drivers have decided to stay at home,also perhaps we should start imposing a tourist tax and the money could go towards upkeep of our roads
Islandwide permit parking is a better option
F.F.S it’s 2025, IW Council are so behind the times to
generate revenue.
In Sandown vehicles are allowed to EVADE
parking charges by parking on the pavement
outside the old tourist information centre opposite
the Pier.
It’s a joke.
It is beyond comprehension that when tourist numbers are down people are advocating a tourism tax. Anyone who assumes the ferries are not the issue live in an alternative universe.
Quite so. Anything that adds to costs for the tourist such as the ferries, a tax, parking charges, etc will make the Island less and less attractive. People are sick of being ripped off and voting wit their feet.
Main reason is ferry prices. Why would anyone pay these extortionate fees to come over when they can spend it on their children holidaying on the mainland. It’s bad enough for islanders getting ripped off never mind trying to attract tourists who won’t come.
So true, the ferry fares are so expensive you could
stay in a B&B in Blackpool for less.
Plus in Blackpool you can buy 99 ice ccreams for £1
and Burgers for £1
Everything on the island is so expensive, businesses are
so greedy!
I expect they have “Kiss me Quick” hats and donkeys on the beach too. Perhpa we should build a tower and have illuminations. If you want Blackpool, go to Blackpool. The Island needs to focus on its unique attraction and not rip people off to come here.
So true, I had a tourist ask me, while I was walking along East Cowes esplanade, where there were places to eat that were not extortionate in price. They were spending almost all there holiday money on food. I directed them to the esplanade cafe, for lunch and told them of similar places across the island. No one wants to spend up to 20 quid per person on a basic meal you eat each day, restaurant’s are to expensive, I should imagine a lot of the islanders cannot afford to eat out either.
We have just got back to Birmingham after a week at Gurnard. Love the island but an older couple + 1 grandson 13 years old, to eat out at many family friendly pubs, costs £100. Burgers everywhere are mad prices £18 for a beefburger not acceptable, £24 for a steak? I personally dislike Burgers but tolerated a McD for the price! Ferry prices August £198 out £156 Return. Also ate at Wetherspoons & Morrisons cafe so we could afford to stay the week! I have to say Sandown is the best beach in the UK, a day on the beach, swimming there on hot summer days we’ve had this year, compares favourably, with anywhere UK or abroad I have been. However, the neglected, crumbling hotels, depressing high St shops, lack of facilities for holiday makers, must put off everyone who ever visited. Absolutely tragic & could be the islands greatest asset, but to save it from its fate surely would cost billions now?
The real reason numbers are falling is because it’s soo expensive to holiday there! We’ve been going to IOW for 20 years but finding somewhere to stay that is a reasonable price is nie on impossible for two let alone for families. If you’re paying over £1000 for accommodation you may as well go abroad.
And the weather is better and you don’t have to pay
50p to have a p*ss
As a regular ferry user for the last 5 years the decline in car movement is visible. If I turned up early back then I would have to wait until my crossing time. Now, if I turn up an hour early im always put on the earlier crossing and even then, they are very rarely full. All wightlink and fed funnel will do is cut services to make sure boats are full, demand looks high and prices stay up.
Correct, if they reduced the fares they would make more money.
The same can be said for cafes.
I use to visit Busy Bee in Ryde on a regular basis for
coffees, even though they scored a 1 star rating they increased
the coffee prices from £2.95 to £3.75
Businesses are so deluded and take things for granted.
Many businesses still employ too many employees
who stand around doing nothing, reduce the clutter
instead of increasing prices.
I am not paying more for a drink to cover pay increases
and N.I increases.
Their loss is my gain.
Not just the ferries; lack of money in families everywhere. Those who do have disposable income go abroad for the same price or often less, but with guaranteed sunshine.
Many of the Islands hotels are run down, and
the few fancy ones are charging ridiculous fees?
Just look at The Albion Hotel in Freshwater
I give it no more than a year before they close down.
Too expensive for the island.
They charge what they have to in order to survive, as do all associated providers…restaurants, taxis, entertainment and attractions. Why? because our costs are disproportionately higher than they were ten years ago, as are the consumer costs and the vast majority of people are still only just getting by. Eventually this will not be a tourist destination, it will be an island of the very rich second home owners who are waiting in the wings to snap up hotels etc cheaply to convert to large private dwellings. The few islanders left will be those with one foot in the grave and a few younger servants of the rich and the elderly.
Tourism is sadly dying off on the island.
Nail on the head.
Rundown towns. Abandoned, eyesore buildings in Ryde and Sandown. Drug addled youths. Fighting in the streets. Expensive Ferries. Why would anyone come here?
Very true.
Look at the state of the old boating lake in
Ryde.
Also why don’t they run the boats.
The Island remains a delightful and surprising destination for visitors. We repeatedly get that feedback. This issues are ferry costs, not just overall costs, but policies like surge pricing and the “marketing agency” Visit Isle of Wight. Simply put, Miles and his team do a poor job. They lack innovation, have a poor understanding of data and market the same material to the same lists. Only yesterday many received a missive from VIOW asking them to visit the Island this summer. A few issues with that, plans for this summer have been made 6/12 months ago, and we are half way through “this” summer….. it just shows a lack of understanding…. no mention of Cowes Week, the biggest event after the Festival…. this cross over between VIOW and the ferries in funding and board representation (which I understand is entrenched), is not helpful. As a small local business the optics are awful, you just don’t think VIOW can ever be on your side. Hopefully Jordan and co can find another magic wand to see sense and fix this.
The simple fact is due to the extortionate costs of ferries and the high prices for accommodation for a family, we can have a Fortnite in Tenerife, all inclusive than it cost for a week on the island. Guaranteed sunshine too!!!
It’s a win win going to Tenerife, cheaper booze too.
There is only ONE PROBLEM Nigel . The Ferries. No.1 Cost , and then No1 again ,Reliability. Both TOP of the List. Everyone on the Island , and mainland (who is connected with the Island) is talking about the Ferries all the time
I bet the Government are pleased, it distracts
people from what damage they are doing to the
country.
Road closures, council not actively acting to get them up and running, again we are a laughing stock compared to other countries.
Attractions need to be affordable yes cost of living has gone up but you need to meet peoples purse strings although they are willing to pay out extortionate festival fees, and ferries , well. … expensive unreliable, always breaking down , missing essential crew , the list goes on. Why come here when the mainland offers a better deal. It’s only going to get worse
Why would you not expect tourism to go down on the island, pathetic really is.. sort out the boat prices they are horrendous. You can travel to France for less totally obscene prices.
No good for tourism, and certainly no good for island folk who most importantly may like to find work on the mainland for new job Particularly when the island has very little employment. Also mainly seasonal.
I say stop punishing islanders and job opportunities..greedy ferry companies who take.
It’s not like they even pay tax on marine diesel
Ferry prices put many off. My whole family live on the Island and I barely make it across when I know it’s cheaper to go further afield. Hotel prices are high as well, normally we go for a whole week, this year we’re only doing four days.
Islanders need to think clearly about their priorities. Do they want money coming into the island from outsiders or would they prefer shabbier, poorer communities? They often complain about tourists but they bring money to the island. Islanders don’t want any second home owners who spend money, use local businesses & employ local craftsmen. House building schemes aren’t supported by many. Older people are not welcome as they are regarded as a burden. If you read comments that appear regularly on local newspaper sites it seems that islanders are insular & don’t like change. I’ve heard tourists say that the Isle of Wight is a lovely place but they haven’t exactly had a welcoming experience.
Tourism has dropped all over the UK and on average the IW has dropped less than the rest of the UK. Everywhere has been hit with higher prices etc etc. we must look outside the ‘Island bubble’ and see the reality of all costs in the UK. It’s not just tourism that suffering, it’s all businesses. The big chain stores are closing branches throughout the country. Workers are being laid off in their thousands and none of them are subjected to higher ferry fares!! Don’t keep running down the Island because you are doing us damage.