Extending the 'tourist' season

[SleepyJoe]

15 hours ago, Passing Time said:

You don’t need theme parks to attract people. There’s plenty of things to do on the Island. Steam and MER seems to attract certain groups. We have brilliant countryside and picturesque walkways. Let’s look on the positive side instead of the negative.

 

The IOM is a heritage holiday theme park

[SleepyJoe]

4 hours ago, Andy Onchan said:

I agree. The lack of marketing, especially online/digital is non-existent. The only organisation that seems to make the most of that is IOMSPCo.

Most of the money goes on funding the DfE Tourism agency - they must do some advertising, but the way public money is used is far from optimal

[fatshaft]

5 hours ago, Capt_Mainwaring said:

Why do people flock to the Scottish Islands then? They have a lot less than us but people still visit them in the thousands each year. We just don't market ourselves as much as they do. And it's a darn site easier to get here.

It's not. Ferry journey is much longer than all except Shetlands, Skye is now accesible by bridge. 

The west coast of Scotland is absolutely stunning, and to a great extent "unpopulated", compared to a pretty heavily populated IoM, I loved my time on the island, and it felt like home, very Aberdeenshire in feel, but wst coast of Scotland is very different indeed

But yes also very well marketed, the guys who invented the NC500 really hit the nail on the head 

[0bserver]

5 hours ago, Capt_Mainwaring said:

Why do people flock to the Scottish Islands then? They have a lot less than us but people still visit them in the thousands each year. We just don't market ourselves as much as they do. And it's a darn site easier to get here.

You would find that if half the MNH shite and the railways disappeared then we would still have the same number of tourists. 

We just end up with the social delinquents looking to spot a few trains. 

[Capt_Mainwaring]

13 minutes ago, fatshaft said:

It's not

Have you ever tried to get the ferry to Islay or Jura?

Skye is very similar to here in parts but it's a 5 hour plus drive from Glasgow in summer.

I stand by it being easier to get here. And cheaper when you factor I'm fuel cost to get there, and accommodation being expensive (and hard to find).

[Capt_Mainwaring]

9 minutes ago, 0bserver said:

You would find that if half the MNH shite and the railways disappeared then we would still have the same number of tourists. 

We just end up with the social delinquents looking to spot a few trains. 

Have you ever spoken to anyone visiting the island? The trains have been packed this summer and I've had some wonderful conversations with a lot of first time visitors coming here for the railways, heritage and walking. The hotels have also been rammed since April. Only starting to quieten down a bit later this month.

[manxfisherman]

16 minutes ago, Capt_Mainwaring said:

Have you ever spoken to anyone visiting the island? The trains have been packed this summer and I've had some wonderful conversations with a lot of first time visitors coming here for the railways, heritage and walking. The hotels have also been rammed since April. Only starting to quieten down a bit later this month.

Its been well busy, I've spoken to loads of tourists, i should get paid for it really. The incredible thing is how positively they all speak about the island.

[0bserver]

17 minutes ago, Capt_Mainwaring said:

Have you ever spoken to anyone visiting the island? The trains have been packed this summer and I've had some wonderful conversations with a lot of first time visitors coming here for the railways, heritage and walking. The hotels have also been rammed since April. Only starting to quieten down a bit later this month.

Don't read too much in to that. It's just people with postponed covid trips. 

[Andy Onchan]

9 minutes ago, 0bserver said:

Don't read too much in to that. It's just people with postponed covid trips. 

No doubt they could have got a refund (and may be some did) but there's been enough here to make a difference. And long may that continue.

I'd rather see many more visitors to Mann than the IOM government's attempt at increasing the population by giving handouts to get people to move here. It's bonkers.

[Len Trench]

10 minutes ago, Andy Onchan said:

I'd rather see many more visitors to Mann than the IOM government's attempt at increasing the population by giving handouts to get people to move here. It's bonkers.

Yeah completely bonkers.

Even Port St Mary was busy this year.

[P.K.]

51 minutes ago, Andy Onchan said:

No doubt they could have got a refund (and may be some did) but there's been enough here to make a difference. And long may that continue.

I'd rather see many more visitors to Mann than the IOM government's attempt at increasing the population by giving handouts to get people to move here. It's bonkers.

Have they ever run a "consultation" on whether or not the current populace actually want more folks living here?

Because the thought of Ballasalla actually needing a bypass is to me the beginning of the end...

[hissingsid]

I think this could work if the Steam Packet, hotels, coach tour companies got together and made a plan.

 

 

[John Wright]

14 hours ago, hissingsid said:

I think this could work if the Steam Packet, hotels, coach tour companies got together and made a plan.

 

 

There have been plenty of these schemes before. OAP coach trips, 1980’s, Eastern European coach trips, 1990’s. Late September to mid November. Tourism and Steam Packet subsidise fares, tourism throw in discounted MNH site admission and trips on trams and trains, the coach operators screw the hoteliers down on price and option all the beds so you can’t sell to anyone else and then release half of them 2 days before arrival.

And do they spend? No!

[Banker]

17 hours ago, P.K. said:

Have they ever run a "consultation" on whether or not the current populace actually want more folks living here?

Because the thought of Ballasalla actually needing a bypass is to me the beginning of the end...

There’s an opportunity to feedback on economic plan as I did it a few months ago, not sure if still open.

Basically we need more working age people here to pay for all the old ones care etc, alternative is to put up taxes,introduce new ones eg inheritance tax ie cut services. UK are already considering increasing retirement age for state pension again to cut costs 

[Roger Mexico]

1 hour ago, John Wright said:

There have been plenty of these schemes before. OAP coach trips, 1980’s, Eastern European coach trips, 1990’s. Late September to mid November. Tourism and Steam Packet subsidise fares, tourism throw in discounted MNH site admission and trips on trams and trains, the coach operators screw the hoteliers down on price and option all the beds so you can’t sell to anyone else and then release half of them 2 days before arrival.

And do they spend? No!

Now, now, John.  These OAP coach trips keep the court system going in fines.  Don't bite the hand that feeds you.

(Obviously you shouldn't put people from Oakham up in the Rutland as they'll just behave as if they were at home).

Actually these trips at the start/end of a season can be reasonable useful financially, because, although hoteliers, the Steam Packet etc don't make much profit on them, they do mean that overheads are covered for a bit longer.  It's not like other business is being turned away.  That said higher energy costs may have an effect on the viability.