Max Power Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 If we miss out on the cruise ship opportunities, we miss out on the chance to have the associated uplift in tourism generated by the improvement in tourism investment, the improvement in the local working and living environment, improvement in job opportunities and general feel good factor. There again we can give it a miss and just sit and watch the island wither and die whilst complaining that the island is finished. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homarus Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 (edited) The appetite is there. Oh yes the appetite is there alright the sharks are circling as we speak . Mmmm !!! 50 million smackeroonies!! Edited January 21, 2017 by homarus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeky boy Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 I thought at first, who the heck thought of this completely idiotic idea, until I did some digging. Orkney is just a small example. Look at Madeira. Before you say warm and sunny, their cruise season is their winter. However, now spreading into their summer. Like most islands, if you are there for a day, you can either pay a fortune for a tour, or walk about town and have a few pints and lunch. Over the past 20 years, Madeira has grown from being a very minor tourist island to being quite a major one. The Azores are just starting on this transformation. Watch this space. Liverpool, Belfast and Dublin are all jumping on the cruise game. We would be completely. Stupid not to at least look at it! Orkney got £4 million into the local economy from cruise passengers With a deepwater ship berth costing in the hundreds of millions I cannot see any way of repaying the cost before the thing wears out To give you an example of a cheaper tourism investment look at Majorca. They had funds available and were considering building yet another marina, instead they invested in making the islands roads cycle friendly by widening some of the main routes and putting a 1.5 meter wide cycleway on one side The result was a massive uptake in cycle holidays in the spring & autumn when the weather was cool enough I was there last April and they had 25,000 cyclists a week going through the place, using hotels, cafes, bike hire shops, the airlines & ferries and spending considerably more than a tea & scone day tripper A huge and ongoing return for a modest investment http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-30794701 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gettafa Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 We shouldn't compare ourselves with anyone. We have all that is needed. (gettafa in positive mode) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homarus Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 (edited) I thought at first, who the heck thought of this completely idiotic idea, until I did some digging. Orkney is just a small example. Look at Madeira. Before you say warm and sunny, their cruise season is their winter. However, now spreading into their summer. Like most islands, if you are there for a day, you can either pay a fortune for a tour, or walk about town and have a few pints and lunch. Over the past 20 years, Madeira has grown from being a very minor tourist island to being quite a major one. The Azores are just starting on this transformation. Watch this space. Liverpool, Belfast and Dublin are all jumping on the cruise game. We would be completely. Stupid not to at least look at it! Orkney got £4 million into the local economy from cruise passengers With a deepwater ship berth costing in the hundreds of millions I cannot see any way of repaying the cost before the thing wears out To give you an example of a cheaper tourism investment look at Majorca. They had funds available and were considering building yet another marina, instead they invested in making the islands roads cycle friendly by widening some of the main routes and putting a 1.5 meter wide cycleway on one side The result was a massive uptake in cycle holidays in the spring & autumn when the weather was cool enough I was there last April and they had 25,000 cyclists a week going through the place, using hotels, cafes, bike hire shops, the airlines & ferries and spending considerably more than a tea & scone day tripper A huge and ongoing return for a modest investment http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-30794701 The Orkney facility also has a natural Lee on 3 sides ,the Manx proposal is to place a floating pontoon out 350m into the exposed tide rip running down along Douglas Head, along with Mr Uglands own projections not stacking up are reason enough in my book not to entertain this ill thought out stupidity. Unfortunately it seems certain people have had the ear of "Government "for quite a while now , If they're reckless enough to go ahead with this proposal it has the potential to be the biggest f*ck up yet amongst all the other major f*ck ups down our years of plenty . Edited January 21, 2017 by homarus 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asitis Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 We already have much of what "countryside" tourists require, dark skies, steam railways,wildlife,walking,cycling, golf etc etc. We need to make the most of what we have, but most of all to compete with locations who also have this sort of tourism it seems to me we have to make it cheaper to get here ! The whole tourism world is intimately tied in to the ongoing ferry saga, the planning process, support for local business etc etc and needs an integrated policy thought up by an adult ! not some self interested groups all vying for position. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the stinking enigma Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 How long before the cruise companies cotton on to all this and start charging places for stopping there rather than the other way round? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Power Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 Very few of us are qualified to comment on the technical aspects of the proposal. I do however agree that on the face of it, a floating pontoon on the seaward side of the breakwater seems a bit daft, it's called a breakwater for a reason, so the proposal calling it 'Alexander Pier' would appear to be an attempt to mislead or dupe people that it is safe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevster Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 Very few of us are qualified to comment ......That's never stopped people before Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kopek Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 The social and financial input of 'Cruisin' will be into the currently underutilised market, MNH, hospitality, tourist tat shops and our wonderful but free countryside. The first wave of Cruiseres will be absorbed to pad out these markets rather than creating new jobs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woody2 Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 they pay nothing for the berth, trips are all pre-planned and paid for onboard, they screw the coach companies and attractions down to the lowest price. spending money off the boat is seriously restricted its no goldmine 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2112 Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 If we miss out on the cruise ship opportunities, we miss out on the chance to have the associated uplift in tourism generated by the improvement in tourism investment, the improvement in the local working and living environment, improvement in job opportunities and general feel good factor. There again we can give it a miss and just sit and watch the island wither and die whilst complaining that the island is finished. Nobody .......... certainly not me is saying give up on cruise liners. What people are merely saying is they doubt the idea of a 350metre floating berth is a good idea and b) can be seen as a white elephant and potentially a huge waste of money. At present it works fine with the cruise passengers being ferried from tenders. Small ships berth at the harbour ....... fine. Like I have said, if the private sector wish to push ahead with this scheme, they can invest - it's a risk, but it's their money, not mine! At least we as taxpayers will get harbour dues. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mannin1 Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 It's probably a good thing that we do not have 50 mill lying about to squander on this pipedream, but doubtless our esteemed politicos will convince themselves that it has legs, and push us further into penury. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ham_N_Eggs Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 I thought at first, who the heck thought of this completely idiotic idea, until I did some digging. Orkney is just a small example. Look at Madeira. Before you say warm and sunny, their cruise season is their winter. However, now spreading into their summer. Like most islands, if you are there for a day, you can either pay a fortune for a tour, or walk about town and have a few pints and lunch. Over the past 20 years, Madeira has grown from being a very minor tourist island to being quite a major one. The Azores are just starting on this transformation. Watch this space. Liverpool, Belfast and Dublin are all jumping on the cruise game. We would be completely. Stupid not to at least look at it! Orkney got £4 million into the local economy from cruise passengers With a deepwater ship berth costing in the hundreds of millions I cannot see any way of repaying the cost before the thing wears out To give you an example of a cheaper tourism investment look at Majorca. They had funds available and were considering building yet another marina, instead they invested in making the islands roads cycle friendly by widening some of the main routes and putting a 1.5 meter wide cycleway on one side The result was a massive uptake in cycle holidays in the spring & autumn when the weather was cool enough I was there last April and they had 25,000 cyclists a week going through the place, using hotels, cafes, bike hire shops, the airlines & ferries and spending considerably more than a tea & scone day tripper A huge and ongoing return for a modest investment http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-30794701 Put a presentation together and invite Tynwald members get an expert in from Majorca and they'll lap it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asitis Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 Very few of us are qualified to comment ......That's never stopped people before ....and amazing how those commenting with little tech knowledge but common sense in buckets are proven right ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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