THE Island is cashing in on boom time for bucket-and-spade holidays as the value of the pound abroad slides and the credit crunch bites.
The marketing campaign, Just Add Water, in national newspapers, plus targeting the traditional holiday market heartlands of London and the Midlands, looks set to provide liquid assets to the Island’s holiday industry, said the chairman of the tourism sector of the Isle of Wight Chamber of Commerce, Tourism and Industry, David Groocock.
Hotelier Mr Groocock said: “We are up 20 per cent on our average bookings at this time of year and are full for Easter.
“Headlines in national newspapers last week spoke of the Great Seaside Comeback and the Island is very much a part of that.
“We are working well with the council and we have got our campaign just right, in terms of targeting the tourist guide at potential holidaymakers who are most likely to book and our GoWight website, which is among the first in the country to have moving images.
“We are keeping our fingers crossed for good summer weather but I am sure that once people come to the Island and experience what we have to offer, they will return.”
The Isle of Wight Council confirmed the Island was well placed to capitalise on people booking holidays later, through timing of the next phase of the £340,000 Just Add Water campaign.
The council said the value of accommodation breaks booked through the Island Breaks website was 30 per cent up and 14,000 more holiday guides than expected had been sent out.
Isle of Wight Council cabinet member for tourism Cllr George Brown said: “I believe our marketing and PR campaign has us well placed to tap into the domestic market, which is expected to grow as a result of the economic climate.”
Island MP Andrew Turner said: “Many people are finding the Eurozone unaffordable this year as the pound has fallen in value — and I very much hope the Island will benefit from that."
Reporter:
richardw@iwcpmail.co.uk