Tomorrow we welcome 670 passengers to St Mary’s and Tresco on the P&O Cruise liner Adonia. The Islands’ Partnership is once again offering on-board goody bags, as well as providing shore-side services, ie supporting their tours which include include the Tresco Abbey Garden, Sea Safaris, a walk around the Garrison, and coach tour of St Mary’s.

The luxury boutique cruise liner, Island Sky, is visiting Scilly twice in four days this week, each time with 70 passengers on board. Once again, the Islands’ Partnership will be handing out Island goody bags to help those on board make the most of their brief visits and encourage them to come again.  Tomorrow, the ship will be in the Roads for just the morning, as guests on board visit Tresco.  When she returns on Sunday with 70 new passengers, they will be visiting both St Mary’s and Tresco.

Tune into BBC 1 this Easter Sunday at 7pm to see a programme all about the Isles of Scilly. The BBC Countryfile team headed to the Isles of Scilly a couple of weeks ago when Ellie Harrison went to St Agnes to learn about a seabird recovery programme –  the biggest island community project in the world. Meanwhile Matt Baker boarded a plane containing 50 ducklings, aiming to get them to the only duck farm on the islands. Matt also visited the only dairy farm on the islands, which supplies the only local milk. The farmer has ten dairy cows, but again it is a good way of keeping an income coming into the farm when the flowers have finished. Ellie also visited Tresco and the red squirrels.

If you fancy a break on Bryher between now and 26th April, Samson Hill Cottage is offering rooms at a 50% discount on B&B for IP members only. Fabulous breakfasts included! Check out the website www.samsonhill.co.uk, and give Gareth and Issy Tibbs a call.

Day 2 of Walk Scilly (Sunday 13th) saw more than 70 walkers stride out across Bryher, St Martin’s and St Mary’s – 29 to St Martins, 32 to Bryher and 11 around the Garrison. On Bryher, amongst other things, they spotted their first Swallow of the year.

Today, Day 3 is  perhaps the busiest day of the festival so far, with more than 100 people stepping out across the islands. Many more are involved on other festival related activities. We have an all day Top to Toe Walk to St Agnes going with 34 walkers, and a morning walk around Lunnon Farm with mother and son duo Penny and Ned Rogers which is also full with 30 walkers. This afternoon’s walk around the North End of Tresco taking in Cromwell’s Castle, Charles Castle has attracted 10 walkers to date.

Also today, there is the Walk Scilly Snorkelling with Seals Session, also full. This evening The Isles of Scilly Museum is opening its doors from 5.00 – 7.00 for Walk Scilly patrons and there is a presentation entitled Marine Life of Scilly at St Martin’s Island Hall starting at 5.00; tickets on the door.

Finally, supper boat is off tonight to St Martin’s leaving St Mary’s at 6.00pm, return times to be advised but between 8.30 – 9.00.  The island bakery is cooking up fresh pizzas, and home made lemonade; Little Arthur Café & Bistro will be serving home made Lasagne, and Steak and Ale pie (all using St Martin’s beef) as well as home made quiche and salad.  Adams Fish & Chip Shop is also open.  Back on St Mary’s there is a Star Walk at 8.30p, with Steve Sims.

The Islands’ Partnership will once again be welcoming a cruise ship into Scilly tomorrow, this time the Marco Polo with 690 passengers here for the day.  They’ll have the choice to head to St. Mary’s or Tresco.  Just like last week, when Discovery was here, the IP’s Erica Swain will board the cruise liner once it’s dropped anchor to give out Welcome to the Isles of Scilly goody bags to all the passengers.  We hope that having a taste of Scilly has to offer in a day will encourage them to come back for a dedicated Scilly holiday in the not too distant future.

Printed copies of the Walk Scilly Programme 2014 are now available from the Visitor Information Point on Porthcressa Beach for anyone who would like to display one in their businesses and/or to hand out to guests.  As you are aware, the festival kicks off on Saturday with 21 walks throughout the week and a whole lot more!

This year we have had 2,000 copies of the programme printed, with a large amount remaining with Isles of Scilly Travel to be handed out at the point of embarkation on the Scillonian III in Penzance. Copies of the programme will also be available at Isles of Scilly Airport at the point of arrival on St Mary’s.

Supplies of the Walk Scilly Programme have also been sent to Bryher Shop, St Agnes Shop and St Martin’s Shop, and to Tresco Island.

“We are delighted with the number of advanced bookings for walks this year, which are a lot stronger than this time last year,” says Amanda Pender, IP Tourism Coordinator. “Let’s hope for some good weather and an event that meets and even exceeds everyone’s expectations.”

The islands’ new overarching tourism website www.visitislesofscilly.com is to be launched very soon, replacing www.simplyscilly.co.uk and members of the IP are being offered the chance to advertise on it at special introductory rates – from just £100 +VAT per quarter.

Designed to provide the resource required to market the islands within an increasingly competitive digital landscape www.visitislesofscilly.com will be the islands’ shop window to the world, showcasing the very best of what Scilly has to offer.

Focusing on the needs of the present day, the new site has been designed with the capability to adapt to both changes in digital technology and the way in which our visitors make use of this technology, for example:

• The new site has been designed to meet the needs of visitors who will access the website using mobile technology – approximately 50% of users and climbing.
• The new site will also allow us to utilise and monitor some of the most advanced forms of target marketing available, i.e. Google Remarketing.

A supporting remarketing campaign pushing traffic to the new site will commence at the point when www.visitislesofscilly.com goes live.

Seen by over half a million visitors every year the Simply Scilly/Visit Isles of Scilly site represents the islands’ strongest on line presence.

Don’t forget everyone, the Great Scilly Spring Clean takes place this weekend:

Saturday 5^th April on St Mary’s

11am – 1pm BAR POINT (lead by the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust)

11am – 1pm OLD TOWN & PORTH MINNACK (lead by the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust)

2pm – 4pm PORTHMELLON (lead by the Duchy of Cornwall)

2pm – 4pm SHARK’S PIT (lead by the Isles of Scilly AONB)

Sunday 6^th April on St Mary’s

11am – 1pm RAM PITT / PORTH WRECK (lead by the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust)

11am – 1pm PORTHCRESSA (lead by the Council of the Isles of Scilly)

2pm – 4pm TOWN BEACH (lead by the Islands’ Partnership)

2pm – 4pm PELISTRY & GILBERTS PORTH (lead by the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust)

Sunday 6^th April, Off-islands

10am – 1pm TRESCO (Meet at Smith Square)

10.30am – 12.30pm ST MARTIN’S (Meet at Island Hall)

10.30am – 12.30pm BRYHER (Meet at the Community Centre)

11am – 1pm ST AGNES (Meet at the Reading Room)

The Islands’ Partnership is delighted to welcome this morning the first of many cruise ships to Scilly this year.  MV Discovery is cruising in from Dublin and will anchor in the Roads before many of its 600 guests disembark to enjoy a day out on Tresco and St Mary’s. The liner leaves our waters for Guernsey later this evening.

The Islands’ Partnership will greet guests arriving on St Mary’s Quay and give them Visit Isles of Scilly branded goody bags containing the Isles of Scilly Guide, the Little Scilly Food Directory, maps of St Mary’s and Tresco, and postcards. There is also information about the Seabird Recovery Project which tells our guests about the wonderful array of birdlife that can be found on the island, as well as a questionnaire asking them about their stopover here on Scilly.

“We want visitors who come to Scilly on cruise ships to love everything about the islands and be tempted to return under their own steam, and for longer, in the near future,” says Amanda Pender, Tourism Coordinator Islands’ Partnership. “So we are doing everything in our power to make them feel welcome, and ensure they have a great time during their short stay.  And we hope that everyone across the islands will do the same.”