Support your Island and take a staycation

Visit Isle of Man, an Executive Agency within the Department for Enterprise, is encouraging Manx residents to consider a staycation in the Isle of Man in place of their usual ‘summer holiday’.

While summer holidays abroad continue to look uncertain, Visit Isle of Man would like to encourage islanders to seek adventure and discovery closer to home and make use of the abundance of activities, eateries and accommodation options available right on our doorstep.

With all social distancing measures and restrictions on gatherings indoors and out now lifted on the Island, the agency has launched its ‘My Island Staycation’ campaign in a bid to showcase all of the fantastic opportunities and offers available to Manx residents. Included is a dedicated landing page to help residents find places to stay, including hotels, B&Bs, self-catering accommodation and camping sites. Information about restaurants, activities, and Manx National Heritage Sites which are open can also be found on the page.

Laurence Skelly MHK, Minister for Enterprise, commented:

‘I understand that many residents will have had holiday plans off-island which can no longer go ahead this summer. I ask that you instead consider making alternative plans locally and support our Manx businesses as they begin to welcome guests once again. The tourism industry was one of the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, and for many the 2020 season has been massively impacted.  Our vibrant and diverse range of tourism businesses benefit not only our visitors, but also our Manx residents who also are able to enjoy the exciting mix of attractions, dining experiences and accommodation options thanks to the support of over 300,000 visitors that frequent our shores annually.

‘Local enterprises, including those in the visitor economy, will need our custom in the weeks and months ahead if they are to be sustainable in the long term. The visitor economy alone underpins approximately 3,000 jobs and so by making an effort to support local we can have a real, positive impact towards both sustaining employment and economic activity here in the Isle of Man.’

Angela Byrne, Head of Visit Isle of Man, commented:

‘The Visit Agency is already looking ahead to the 2021 season and beyond as we make preparations for how we can make the most of the expected demand for UK domestic staycations when our borders open. But in the meantime, we must do all we can to support our trade partners during this extremely difficult period.

‘We're very fortunate to live in the only entire Nation in the world to be recognised as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve- somewhere which hundreds of thousands of visitors come to visit annually to experience our enviable landscapes, rich heritage and culture and welcoming atmosphere. I urge our residents to take a look at the variety of staycation offers available and try something new or stay somewhere they may not have considered before. It’s a great excuse to get out and enjoy our extraordinary Island with a view of promoting it to friends and relatives outside of the Isle of Man for the future.’ 

Any accommodation, attraction/activity, food and drink business registered with Visit Isle of Man can be listed on the My Island Staycation page by emailing accommodation.dfe@gov.im and requesting to be added.

Residents can find staycation accommodation, food and drink experiences and activities on www.visitisleofman.com/myislandstaycation