Friday, May 16, 2008
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£50M SHORTFALL IN ISLE OF WIGHT TOURISM PREDICTED

By Richard Wright - Friday, May 2, 2008
A DISASTROUS £50 million drop in business is predicted this year by the tourism industry.
The expected ten per cent fall in the Island’s biggest earner bucks the trend of rival resorts and the IW Chamber of Commerce, Tourism and Industry said it was a result of the IW Council doing little to promote the Island.
As a first step to wresting control of tourism from the council, the chamber launched its own pocket tourist guide with the backing of top Island attractions and the ferry companies.
But the council’s chief executive, Joe Duckworth, described it as stark scaremongering and said: “This is a very damaging approach to promoting the Island.”
At the launch of its campaign on Wednesday, the chamber said it wanted to work with the council but urged it to withdraw its own pocket guide as a first step.
The chamber now plans its own accommodation guide, online initiative and advertising campaign and is seeking an urgent meeting with council deputy leader Cllr George Brown to present its plan and see if the council wants to think again.
The chamber accused the council of awarding the tourism marketing contract to Westminster Council which had no tourism expertise.
It also accused Cllr Brown of a double about-turn, deciding first on a joint venture, then that the council should keep it in-house before expensive partial externalisation to Westminster.
Blackgang Chine, Robin Hill, the IW Steam Railway, Amazon World, the IW Zoo, Needles Pleasure Park and Godshill Model Village were among those backing the chamber.
Ex IW Council head of tourism, Tim Addison, now a consultant for the chamber, said: “I am sure a majority of councillors want us involved but the council is struggling to engage with us at a time when we really need to work together.
“The prediction for this year is disastrous following three years of static figures and some decline.”
Pub chain owner Neil Gibbs: “We’re really fed up. The council should be working for us not against us.”
Mr Duckworth said: “We are very concerned this is what they are saying and will be seeking an urgent meeting to see how we can work together.
“Like other UK destinations we face an uncertain future given the economic climate and we should be pulling together to work effectively to promote the Island.
“The chamber appears to want to discredit the official promotion of the Island and it would seem they are doing this to get support for their guide.