The Islands’ Partnership is celebrating a second consecutive year of increased visitor numbers to the islands. David Jackson, Executive Director of the Islands’ Partnership says that the 9% increase in visitors coming to Scilly in 2015 is a strong indication of the recovering visitor market, especially building on the 6% increase in 2014. However, he warns against complacency with Scilly still needing to “up its game” in order to compete with other destinations, particularly amongst new visitors to the islands.

“The work undertaken by the Islands’ Partnership, which is wholly supported by annual membership from Scilly (and Scilly-related) businesses, is clearly bearing fruit,” says David. “The team has worked hard to deliver a highly desirable brochure, coming into its third year, and our new award-winning website, visitislesofscilly.com which continues to perform strongly. This year to date, visitislessfscilly.com has enjoyed a 28% increase in traffic – with more than 540,000 visits.  Of note are the July figures when the website recorded its highest traffic in one month – 76,105 visits in total,” he continues. “The website is at the core of our marketing activities, generating excitement to visit the islands as well as many bookings,” says David. “Our email marketing, the competitions, the events, the tourism awards, the social media, the press trips and PR activity are all geared to drive website traffic.”  

“Although Scilly is clearly benefiting from our work, it’s essential that we do not become complacent,” warns David. “There is still much to be done to ensure that Scilly is an attractive destination for new visitors. In this respect, we will continue to improve the on-island visitor experience, transport links and length of season through the development of new products and joint initiatives with our partners. Next season, for example, we will introduce a much-needed on-island pocket map and guide to Scilly, whilst our new events programme is designed to attract visitors at times when traditionally, we have experienced dips in numbers.  Our cruise ship offering – vital in encouraging first time Scilly visitors to return for a longer break – will also be enhanced further.”

The Islands’ Partnership will also continue to provide mentoring, training and business development support to our members – a valued element to our membership, as The Dairy Café owner, Yve Peck explains: “As a newcomer to Scilly, I have been grateful for the support I’ve received from IP and have benefitted enormously from the excellent business advice and training they provide,” she says. “My membership fee constitutes good value. The IP’s marketing efforts raise the profile of the islands as a whole, and this has definitely had a positive impact on local businesses, including my own.”

Nick Christopher Smith from Westwinds Car Park at Land’s End is also grateful for the membership support, recently tweeting: “A massive thank you for all the work and support we’ve had in our first year. We look forward to being an IP member in 2016. #Success!”

Zoe Julian from Scilly Flowers on St. Martin’s concurs: “IP’s coordinated and professional approach to marketing the islands has really raised the profile of Scilly. We’re not a front-line tourism business, but we’ve enjoyed increased footfall to our farm. Anecdotally, it seems there are more visitors who are enjoying discovering the islands for the first time, too. Even though the majority of our customers have not visited Scilly (yet!), it is really important to our business that the Islands are marketed effectively so that the Isles of Scilly brand is associated with a positive image,” she says. “With such a small business population, and every one of them reliant on tourism, directly or indirectly, I think it is crucial that businesses support the Islands’ Partnership through membership so that it can continue its good work.”   

“Obviously it is great to hear from members who believe we provide value for money in terms of the membership fees and marketing opportunities, but it is not something we take for granted,” says David. “We know we have to continue to work hard to earn the trust of businesses across all the islands. We hope that, at this time of membership renewal, more businesses will join the cause and really get to know and appreciate the work that we do on everyone’s behalf.”

Yesterday, the Islands’ Partnership hosted a special lunch at St. Mary’s Hall Hotel for its volunteer team of Cruise Ship Welcome Hosts who have greeted no less than 43 ships this season – a record for Scilly! More than 18,000 cruise passengers went ashore to St. Mary’s, Tresco and the other islands, generating more than £700,000 for the islands’ coffers.

The final cruise liner of 2015, the Albratross, left Scilly’s shores last Saturday 19^th September, but with around 35 cruise liners already confirmed to the visit the islands in 2016, it won’t be long before our Ambassadors are preparing once again to offer a warm Scilly welcome to these valued guests.

“Our cruise ship ambassadors play a crucial role in rolling out the red carpet and, anecdotally, we know that passengers genuinely appreciate the welcome they receive. What is also pleasing is that our Ambassadors really enjoy the experience going on board ships to help visitors to Scilly make the most of the islands whilst here,” says Islands’ Partnership Executive Director, David Jackson. “I hope their enthusiasm for what they do will encourage others to sign up as ambassadors next year.”

Prior to the lunch, the volunteers met with the Islands’ Partnership team and Isles of Scilly Harbour Master, Dale Clark, to discuss their experiences of going aboard the ships and being on the quaysides to greet passengers and offer information packs. They also considered how Scilly’s Cruise Ship Ambassador programme could be enhanced for next season. Ideas and suggestions included an improvement to the “goody bags”; a “Things to Do / What to See / Where to Go” handout for passengers coming that specific day, and working more closely with boat operators and other guides to create opportunities for additional organised tours and off-island visits from St. Mary’s quayside.

“Of the 18,000 passengers who came ashore this season, only a relatively small proportion went on pre-booked tours arranged by the cruise ships,” says David. “So there is definitely an opportunity to improve the product offer for our cruise passengers – particularly in terms of getting them to the other islands to experience Scilly as a whole and not just Hugh Town on St. Mary’s.”

“This has been an excellent first year for the Cruise Ship Ambassador Programme, and everyone – from the Ship’s Agent, Gerald Thompson and the St. Mary’s Boatmen to the Islands’ Partnership and the Ambassadors themselves – has worked really well together to create a lasting impression for the passengers,” adds Dale Clark, St. Mary’s Harbour Master. “The commitment and enthusiasm of the ambassadors really adds value to the visitor experience, not just with the cruise ship passengers, but also with the cruise operators themselves. As the programme develops for 2016, I am sure we will have another record-breaking year – which is fantastic news for Scilly.”

The Islands’ Partnership has congratulated Juliet’s Garden after winning Best Cafe at this week’s Great Cornish Foods Awards. The awards, organised by Cornish Food & Drink, were announced at a ceremony held at Trelissick Gardens in Feock, near Truro on Monday. They celebrate the very best food and drink talent in Cornwall and Scilly.

“Juliet’s is a worthy winner and is a credit to Scilly. We are delighted that they have been recognised for their excellent product and for helping to raise Scilly’s profile as a foody destination of choice,” says David Jackson, Executive Director of the Islands’ Partnership.  “Juliet and her team should be justifiably proud of their achievement adding as it does to their Gold Award two years ago at the Cornwall Tourism Awards.”

The Great Cornish Food Awards have been established to recognise businesses that go to the greatest lengths to ‘buy local’ as well as leaders in product development and marketing, outstanding individuals and those bringing something new to the food scene.

Two of our key marketing tools for Visit Isles of Scilly – the front cover of our 2015 Visit Isles of Scilly Guide and the Home Page of the Visit Isles of Scilly website – have been shortlisted in the  British Destinations and Carrier Direct Marketing “Brochure Front Cover of the Year” and “Website Homepage of the Year” Awards. Last year, Visit Isles of Scilly scooped the top award last year, so we wait to see if we can do the double!

The winners will be announced at the British Destinations Conference in Blackpool, 5th-6th October 2015. 

Members of the Islands’ Partnership are being encouraged to register to attend Cornwall Expo 2015 in the unique setting of the impressive Hangar 4, Aerohub, Newquay Airport on Tuesday 29th and Wednesday 30th September.

Cornwall Expo 2015 combines an exhibition and conference, and provides the opportunity for businesses to view the infrastructure improvements programmed for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly over the next five years, and learn more about how these schemes and initiatives will continue to transform and grow our business, skills and tourism industries.

The Conference element is divided into two. The first day focusses on Infrastructure and Skills, with speakers ranging from the Secretary of State for Transport Peter McGloughlin, Tim O’Toole Chief Executive, First Great Western; Sandra Rothwell, Chief Executive of the CIOS Local Enterprise Partnership; a senior executive (tbc) from the Bristow Group and Matthew Thomson Chief Executive Cornwall Food Foundation.

Day 2 hosts the Tourism Conference comprising speakers including James Beresford, Chief Executive, VisitEngland; Rob Goldsmith, Chief Executive, Isles of Scilly Steamship Company, David Jackson from Islands’ Partnership; Malcolm Bell, Chief Executive, VisitCornwall; Kurt Janson, Director, Tourism Alliance; Chris Pomfret, Chair of the LEP, and a senior figure from First Great Western.

The Exhibition comprises the Rail Zone, complete with Sleeper Carriage, Saloon Carriage mock up and information boards; Highways Zone and key initiatives such as the A30 widening at Temple; Isles of Scilly Transport Zone offering an insight into to developments for our air and sea links; Culture Zone; EU Convergence and Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Growth Hub Zone; Tourism Zone; Technology Zone; and Marine Zone.

“This really is an essential event for businesses across the Isles of Scilly, not just for those working within tourism, but for operators in all industry sectors across our locality,” says David Jackson, Islands’ Partnership Executive Director. “With so many highly influential senior personnel in attendance, this is a great opportunity to view and hear what’s planned in terms of our local infrastructure, business and up-skilling investments as well as question and probe those at the heart of the decision making for Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly and beyond.”

Cornwall Expo 2015 has been organised by the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership, Cornwall Council and the Council of the Isles of Scilly.