Roger Mexico Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 you wouldn't think there was actually a government bod supposed to be 'director of tourism' The Department of Economic Development has announced the appointment of Robin Bischert to the role of Director of Tourism and the Visitor Economy. His three year fixed term appointment is effective from 1 October 2014. or even a 'head of tourism' would they have been considered appropriate to add their opinion ? According to his LinkedIn he's still there at the DED: Director Isle of Man Department of Economic Development October 2014 – Present (2 years 4 months) Recruited on a fixed term contract to lead the development and implementation of the Island's destination management and economic development strategies. The work has focused on re-positioning the brand, championing innovation and improvement, building industry confidence and creating a positive climate for reinvestment and investment in infrastructure and property related projects. The role incorporates the management of the Gaiety Theatre and Villa Marina Complex and the development of an events portfolio that includes the Isle of Man TT Races. Though it also says that he's based in "Winchcombe, Gloucestershire", so maybe the job of Director consists of standing in the West Midlands, pointing vaguely North and shouting "It's up thataway!". Certainly his internet profile is extremely sparse which him being mentioned in very few news items over those two and a third years. Given the scope of the role and the number of high profile situations that have occurred even in the last year over the Villa, the TT and so on, you would have expected him to be more visible. Instead he seems to have spent 16 months producing a Destination Management Plan, which no one seems to have taken any notice of. And, er, that's it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald Trumps Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 It's just another of those mysterious goings on in DED Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the stinking enigma Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 How much are we paying this guy? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asitis Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 At last a man comes on talking sense , well done Stephen!!! Points out that quoted comparable Cruise liner facilities in Monaco and Orkney are in fact completely different to Manx proposal in that both are protected by natural lee ,whereas proposed Douglas cruise facility is exposed on the outside of Alexandria Pier with large tidal range. Good old Rog gave him short thrift though and got rid quickly ! How I read it? Mark Robertshaw is a waffling middleman blagger with little detail or figures on offer but stands to make a lot of money and Edmund gets people to use his facilities and trainset ,neither inspire confidence. ETA. Oh yea !! Stephen also said that there needed to be a full tynwald inquiry with full facts and figures known before any Gov money was Authorised. I guess it depends on who produces the facts and figures if it is anything like the airport blown cash some absolute tripe was placed before Tynwald and they swallowed it whole despite having a full and professional report to the contrary ! If this garners support from even a few halfwits it will go through, these things have a habit of being like a small snowball rolling down a snowy hill ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lxxx Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 Listening today Mark Robertshaw gave me the impression he's already counting the readies for this like it's a done deal with his dad's help. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gettafa Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 Isn't the Toohey lad a former director of tourism. A disaster if you ask me. Or indeed many folk who worked under him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kopek Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 Nice to think of boats with 6000 pax but they would need 100 buses to ship them around the Island. If they are taken to mainly MNH sites, then the private sector will lose out from their absence in town? Who will Laurence sell his IOM fag lighters and snowstorms to? The larger cruises will be prestige international operations. Will enough of them think the IOM is a worthwhile destination? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinkydevil Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 I'm registering as many 'Isle of Man Cruise --------' domains and trademarks now in preparation. ££££££££££££££££ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolley Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 apart from cyclists never spend money hence why the cycle week stopped Some wag emailed Stu on the subject: "Cyclists arrived with a tenner and a clean pair of underpants. They got back on the boat at the end of the week having changed neither." As I recall it this about summed them up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolley Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 It should be examined and as a joint partnership with private investment. Definitely worth looking at. Fair enough, but the major risk should be private. And what happens if it gets half built and then the partner does an Enron and goes bust, leaving Douglas as a hole in the ground? Will we have another power station moment and debt to match? Then it would be our luck to get it finished just in time for the arse to drop out of the cruise market. That's why I suggested getting Peel Group to look at it. No chance of it bankrupting THEM at least. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homarus Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 Listening today Mark Robertshaw gave me the impression he's already counting the readies for this like it's a done deal with his dad's help. Listening to him he was not overly convincing ,but maybe he already knows he doesn't need to be . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Onchan Posted January 22, 2017 Share Posted January 22, 2017 It should be examined and as a joint partnership with private investment. Definitely worth looking at.Fair enough, but the major risk should be private. And what happens if it gets half built and then the partner does an Enron and goes bust, leaving Douglas as a hole in the ground? Will we have another power station moment and debt to match? Then it would be our luck to get it finished just in time for the arse to drop out of the cruise market. That's why I suggested getting Peel Group to look at it. No chance of it bankrupting THEM at least. Peel Group don't use their own money. Virtually all of the Salford Media City development came about by grants and prebooked tenants in tbe form of BBC etc. And I suspect Liverpool and Mersey Harbour docks was the same. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2112 Posted January 23, 2017 Share Posted January 23, 2017 It should be examined and as a joint partnership with private investment. Definitely worth looking at.Fair enough, but the major risk should be private. And what happens if it gets half built and then the partner does an Enron and goes bust, leaving Douglas as a hole in the ground? Will we have another power station moment and debt to match? Then it would be our luck to get it finished just in time for the arse to drop out of the cruise market. That's why I suggested getting Peel Group to look at it. No chance of it bankrupting THEM at least. Peel Group don't use their own money. Virtually all of the Salford Media City development came about by grants and prebooked tenants in tbe form of BBC etc. And I suspect Liverpool and Mersey Harbour docks was the same. Peel Holdings and its major shareholder and island resident John Whittaker wouldn't waste his time on a project like what is being proposed. Living here I'm sure is fine, but investing and putting something back into the community is probably another matter. However I could be proved to be wrong and he could have funded major infrastructure projects on the island, and in particular in and around Castletown and Port Erin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolley Posted January 23, 2017 Share Posted January 23, 2017 It should be examined and as a joint partnership with private investment. Definitely worth looking at.Fair enough, but the major risk should be private. And what happens if it gets half built and then the partner does an Enron and goes bust, leaving Douglas as a hole in the ground? Will we have another power station moment and debt to match? Then it would be our luck to get it finished just in time for the arse to drop out of the cruise market. That's why I suggested getting Peel Group to look at it. No chance of it bankrupting THEM at least. Peel Group don't use their own money. Virtually all of the Salford Media City development came about by grants and prebooked tenants in tbe form of BBC etc. And I suspect Liverpool and Mersey Harbour docks was the same. This is true but it doesn't mean they are barred from doing so!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Mexico Posted January 23, 2017 Share Posted January 23, 2017 [...] And what happens if it gets half built and then the partner does an Enron and goes bust, leaving Douglas as a hole in the ground? Will we have another power station moment and debt to match? Then it would be our luck to get it finished just in time for the arse to drop out of the cruise market. That's my immediate worries about the idea that the private sector is somehow a solution. And even such 'private' solutions have a habit of gobbling up large amounts of public money for no return - look at the Garden Bridge in London for a recent example. Of course in the Isle of Man we have the additional risk that the project can end up in the hands of a 'local' subsidiary that goes under at the worst possible time, leaving the UK parent walking away with bulging pockets and no responsibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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