Medina Theatre was the venue for the Visit Isle of Wight (VIOW) Visitor Economy Conference last week, with speakers and delegates welcomed by host David Curtis-Brignell MBE. Host, David, began by pointing out that visitors to the Island were not spending as much, with 67% of visitors cautious of major spending, leading to a trend of domestic breaks rather than longer holidays. In a video insert, Bob Seely MP pledged his full support to tourism, only to then appear at the back of the theatre, waving to the host. Bob was also on hand later speaking with stakeholders and guest speakers. Andrew Stokes OBE, Director of Visit England, delivered the keynote address sharing the overall national picture for the Visitor Economy. Other areas of the UK, such as the Island, need to encourage visitors from abroad to change this habit. 30% of the Island’s economy is based on tourism but recently this has been tempered by the cost of living factor. Before the opening of the conference, and during the lunch break, stakeholders were encouraged to visit displays by local companies and organisations. One of these was the IW Biosphere. There are only 7 Biosphere regions in the UK with the Isle of Wight being one of them. Sustainability across all aspects of tourism was highlighted with green transport a topic for discussion. A duo of speakers from the mainland heaped praise on the Island bus network, operated by Southern Vectis, saying how they had enjoyed their journeys which were punctual and efficiently run. £2 fares were helping to get people away from car travel and VIOW has arranged special Rover Bus Fares with Southern Vectis. Rachael Randall, Founder and CEO of HTP Apprenticeship College, gave her views on recruiting a skilled workforce and how to retain it, revealing that 84% of employers experienced problems recruiting staff and 75% were affected by staff turnover. Latest campaigns were shown and with the latest Channel 5 programme based on the Island commencing its run on the evening following the conference, the Island was getting publicity.
VISITOR ECONOMY CONFERENCE HEARS ISLAND MUST ENCOURAGE MORE OVERSEAS VISITORS
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But theres nothing left here,everything is closing,why would tourists want to visit?
sky high accommodation,cannot guarantee the weather,extortionately high ferry prices,eating out in a pub is ridiculously high,and a lot are closing due to extreme rents
Its cheaper to go to spain for a week!
Totally agree …ferries make it too expensive…and many more attractions on the mainland unfortunately
Most of that is the same all across the UK. Shops etc are shutting in every High Street, as are attractions. Accommodation costs are actually slightly lower here than a lot of other UK destinations (I’m taking Premier Inns as a yardstick, as you can compare right across the country for similar rooms etc).
Obviously, there’s ferry fares to take into the equation for a holiday here. But the fact is that, if you book a package, the ferry can be inclusive and both companies give big discounts to the larger hotels, holiday parks etc. It’s us who live here and day trippers who pay the full, extortionate fare.
It’s cheaper to go to Spain than a lot of places in the UK, unfortunately, not just the Island.
That’s what 14 years of austerity does
So long as the overseas visitors hold a two way ticket and ‘use’ it, then all welcome imo.
Doubt any will ever come back again though.
Have you tried not being poor?
Sandown rapidly turning into downtown Bronx,Ryde neglecting its architectural treasures.Nothing these corporate cut-outs are keen to address.Just endless Captiva greenfield degradations and barber shops a go go.Did i mention laundrettes in treasured locations ?
Many foreign visitors love the Island for its natural beauty and historical features. I have spoken to many and those who would like to visit again have mostly balked at the ferry charges in the last couple of years and just stay on the mainland. Something really needs to happen regarding that aspect if you really want ANY visitors to come, let alone from abroad. Accomodation charges on the Island can be high if you don’t shop around. But to be honest there are a lot of arrogant owners with very scruffy properties asking silly prices. Eating out is actually not bad on the Island, once again if you look around and choose wisely. There are some very good pubs with quality food and pricing as well as good service.
“who would like to visit again have mostly balked at the ferry charges in the last couple of years and just stay on the mainland…::.yes I agree can’t blame them…sure our mp is aware too..
Agree, stupid that foreign tourists can travel to UK cheaper than our ferries to The Island,no passport,no customs etc either. If ferries reduced fare and stop spending money on TV advertising , sending out leaflet vouchers and confusing pricing web site, they would have greater numbers and make more money. Like Nike,75% of cost of trainer’s is for advertising and sponsorship making them unaffordable for many £150 for same quality as another brand costing £45, wonder how much advertising leaflets, vouchers etc cost?.
Visitor numbers last year (1.96 million) were a bit down on the year before (2.1 million) but that was because the summer was a washout, whereas the previous summer was scorching. However, total spend was up last year compared with the year before but that was due to inflation. See how all of the speakers say there is a need to do this and that but they don’t offer solutions.
Well attended, not, judging by the photo. No one will come here to visit, everything is closing down. The shops and businesses will now have to rely on locals mostly, about bloody time too.
Our council will hold loads of seminars …even free tv progs to show how lovely the island is …but the cost is too much for holidaymakers for them….unless our MP …does much more …ferry cost’s much to much
You have as much chance of going to the moon before our self serving,so called MP does anything.
You are all writing drivel because 2 million people still come each year …
dj on wave radio said this morning it cost him £39 for a return to take his car on the Dover to Calais ferry at the weekend. says everything really.
they can advertise till they’re blue in the face, but a trip to the Island is way too expensive than it should be. the ferries are the prime culprit but there’s not much value anywhere.
Come on all you foreigners, pay a fortune to cross the Solent so that you can visit our run down towns that look like ghettos, go to our lovely beaches where the toilets are all shut or charge you to have a leak, take out a loan to park your car anywhere and then complain like hell when you are standing in the rain getting drenched. Best holiday you will ever have…
The Island needs a real attraction to bring visitors here. Dinosauria was just that type of international attraction we need but the Independents of the IWC stopped it. Absolutely clueless
I bet the overseas people will laugh that the boat is the most expensive bit off the journey
Cheaper ferries, less extortionate car park fees and toilets for visitors in seaside towns would be a good start.
For God’s sake don’t we have enough visitors already? Okay so suppose we get a few million foreigners over here spending their taxed money; will our rip-off council tax be reduced as a consequence? No, I thought not. Why, then, would any islander be interested?
Because visitors are the basis of the island’s economy. Duh!
It’s ok, county hall are doing their bit, they are raising all car parking charges again, they’ve instructed island roads to paint hundreds more double yellow lines in addition to the hundreds extra they’ve already been painting every year, all to get people out of their cars and make life difficult for holidaymakers in their push for net zero – which translates to net zero visitors, net zero jobs(public sector excluded of course),net zero independent transport, net zero small and medium businesses, net zero farms(re-wilding or rabbit hutch housing) – yes we will be Britains first net zero island !
God spare us from these pointy shoed cultural/corporate-marxist gum-flappers.
We need a better airport then
Look at all the negatives coming to the island.
Expensive Ferry Fares
24/7 364 days parking charges
50p to use toilets in Sandown or UNSAFE new toilet block by the lift in Shanklin
a dark area and a dangerous trip hazard
WHAT MORON BUILT THIS DANGEROUS BUILDING BLOCK
Does the Council not have an Health & Safety Pefson to check how dangerous
this is in the dark?
Sandown is one of the biggest Seaside Dumps in the UK
The Old Hotel in George Street Ryde is a PERMANENT building site
Loads of filthy eateries.
Smell of Cannabis everywhere
My advise stick to Tenerife, very welcoming, clean and you can fly cheaper
to Tenerife than travelling with Wightlink.
I was lucky enough to have a hotel on the Island back in the early 80’s up until the late 90’s in Shanklin. (18 bedrooms) Between May and the end of September the Island was busy really busy! I’m lucky enough to still live over here but are saddened to see the decline not just in number of visitors (please anyone trying to convince me that there are more tourists now then 35 years ago are in dreamland) but how shabby our resorts have come. Cliff tops over grown, decline in our shopping centres. (All Island) What hits me the most though is the lack of a thriving resort. There just seems to be no atmosphere anymore on our Island. I appreciate we have festivals and so forth which are good for all ages but i just remember the bars all busy then
John sadly the island will never have the glory days back.
There use to be Boating Lakes, Dotto Trains, more piers, amusements, bingos etc
All sadly gone.
Scarborough is a fabulous seaside resort and much cheaper than the Island.
Scarborough is stag and hen party hell these days.The streets flow with vomit and piss at the weekends, and unspeakable things happen down dark alleyways. Be careful what you wish for.
You must have been to a different Scarborough
Walmer in Kent
FREE parking and beautiful beach
P*sses all over shoddy run Wight
Drop the ferry prices, tidy up the towns, put on more entertainment and at track the younger one by pushing mountain biking wind surfing ect, they alway enjoy a beer or two
Not many turned up judging by the empty seats, probably couldn’t afford the ferry.
It would be wonderful to welcome overseas visitors if our island was treated like an island!
Maybe Mr Seeley would like to push harder for the Isle of Wight to get true island status like the Scottish islands do, Instead of the island being treated as a part of Hampshire! So we get cheaper ferry fares, help to sort out the disgusting run down state of our towns especially Sandown, Ryde and Shanklin. Ban the influx of holiday homes, properties being turned into HMO’s, building of houses on grrenbelt land, start policing and removing the drug dens and producers around the island. And that’s for starters.
Then just maybe we might get a bite of the overseas visitors pie!