Tourism

[manxman8180]

What’s the point?  If you really have to ask then you don’t even recognise the problem let alone have the first idea of how to fix it.

My post wasn't to paint a rosy picture of the Island being a Tourist mecca in the middle of the Irsih Sea. My response was to question your post's reliance on cost being the only factor. Your subsequent post was much more expressive in your views on the other factors. Well done.

 

To merely focus on the cost as you did in the first post, whilst important, it is not the only influence.

 

Yes there is only a finite number of people that are interested in what the Island offers at present, at best this can be described, as by WSAG, as a niche market.

There IS an opportunity for the Island to be developed as a tourist resort, but it will need some pretty significant changes in attitudes by everybody there.  There is no doubt that a number of big – time casinos could be established on the Island making it a sort of Las Vegas in the middle of the Irish Sea – especially if the legislation on the Mainland fails as it well might. 

Yes, I'm sure it would attract a new type of tourist and maybe good numbers of them. But is that what the people of the Island want? For me, No, but I would be interested to here what others think.

There is an opportunity to attract crowds with a massive reduction in excise duties on booze and fags

That would need further looking at. It would mean pulling out of the 'Common Purse' Agreement currently in place with the UK, which spreads the duty etc. I believe we do fairly well out of that at present, so would need to see the calculations.

Then most important the weather.  Cold and wet even describes a sizeable portion of the Summer months......

Well, there is not a lot we can do about that is there, so we are never going to capture the Sun worshippers.

But it si not a home that I will ever return to

Shame

Nor would I for a single moment think about the Island as a holiday location nor would I ever recommend it as such

Thanks

It is my opinion that today the Isle of Man has NOTHING WHATSOEVER to offer the average holiday maker

I agree that there are extremely limited activities to be done, however, if you look deeper there are events, places to go and see, that even I am finding which I never knew about. But you're right the Island does need to look at a whole new approach to the provision and supply of certain activities, to cater for a different breed of tourists.

Or the conversion of somewhere like The Curraghs into a theme park such as the Centre Parcs affair at Elvedon in Suffolk

Good idea.

I’ve seen the standard of the 3 star b & b place on the Island – no thanks

Sweeping generalisation. There are some really good places on the Island. Yes there are some minty ones, just as there are in every country in the World. Spain being no exception.

 

We all have views on how the Island should try to improve what it has to offer, doesn't make us all right of course. But at least we're talking about it. As you have stated that you would never return to the Island, then I don't suppose you will be able to offer any words of wisdom on any changes that may be made in the future (unless we stagnate in the current state that is).

 

Have a nice holiday.

[When Skies Are Grey]

That would need further looking at. It would mean pulling out of the 'Common Purse' Agreement currently in place with the UK, which spreads the duty etc. I believe we do fairly well out of that at present, so would need to see the calculations.

 

The Island does very well out of this agreement - for my business pulling out of this would be a disaster. The Island has a unique position of being a low tax jurisdiction but within the EU VAT area. There are also some very beneficial concessions offered to the IOM by the UK in terms of VAT retrocession - so we would have to have a VERY good argument to pull out.

 

Lets concentrate on what we do have and market that as opposed to wasting money dreaming about what we dont have. People will always find the negative in everything in life and the ability to criticise from an East Anglian ivory tower is a luxury we cant all afford.

 

At the end of the day you pays your money you takes your choice - personally I wouldnt touch Tenerife with someone else barge pole. BUt hey wouldnt the world be a strange place if we all agreed on everything.

[rallybug]

I agree that there are extremely limited activities to be done, however, if you look deeper there are events, places to go and see, that even I am finding which I never knew about.  But you're right the Island does need to look at a whole new approach to the provision and supply of certain activities, to cater for a different breed of tourists.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I think that may be part of the problem - I've lived here for just over 7 years now, and one of the first things I realised was that you had to go looking for stuff to do, rather than it being promoted. This has changed a fair bit with more internet access etc but, like you, I do still stumble on events and the like.

 

A lot of it, of course, I me not being a lazy bar steward and getting up off my chair, but that's no fun