The Islands’ Partnership has released the results of its biggest Isles of Scilly Visitor Survey yet, which was conducted both online and via on-island surveys throughout the 2016 season. Last year, 2,381 surveys were completed, 95% of them by staying visitors and with the overall sample representing up to 10% of all visitors.

Once again Scenery, Peace & Quiet, Beaches and Wildlife remained the overwhelming motivators for visitors opting to holiday on Scilly. The general atmosphere, sense of welcome and customer service found amongst accommodation providers scored highest for visitor satisfaction, whilst the value of food & drink, quality of shops, range and quality of evening entertainment, and range and quality of groceries scored lowest.

For the second year running, 67% of visitors to Scilly were aged more than 45 years old, a proportion that has increased by 10% in the last three years. More than 40% of all visitors were from the southwest region of the UK, with at least 20% of visitors having Cornwall and Devon postcodes.

The survey findings have revealed a continued loyalty to Scilly with 70% of repeat visitors. First time visitors in 2016 accounted for 30% of the total number, mirroring the 30% of first-time visitors in 2015 and up from the 26% who were new to Scilly in 2014. Of the first time visitors in the last two yeas, 60% opt to come to Scilly for a short break, of between 2 and 4 nights. 65% of the survey respondents said that star ratings in making their accommodation choices were important or very important, an increase from 59% in 2015.

Only 29% of visitors booked accommodation online last year, a number that would have been higher had they been able to. Demand for the ability to research holidays and in particular to book online has increased steadily in the last couple of years. In 2016, 47% of respondents said that they would have booked their holiday on line had they been able to (29% did), an increase from 41% in 2015. 62% of visitors last year, and in 2015, found the website visitislesofscilly.com a useful source of information when booking their holiday.

“The 2016 Isles of Scilly Visitor Survey was our most comprehensive to date, and with 95% of those who completed it being staying visitors, it has given us a meaningful, qualitative insight on overall trends as well as visitor behaviour and satisfaction levels amongst visitors to the islands,” says Islands’ Partnership Executive Director, David Jackson. “With three years of visitor surveys behind us, we are much better able to build a complete picture of, and respond to, the needs and habits of our visitors. It is important that understand our visitor profile and their experiences so that local businesses and the Islands’ Partnership can align services to their needs and expectations and support product development that will help to enhance and grow the visitor economy.

“Already, thanks to the help of some DEFRA funding, we are introducing a new Food & Drink marque for Scilly this season which will help the islands’ producers and eateries to highlight Scilly’s distinctive food offering, and also engage visitors in the unique value and variety of our local produce,” he adds. “The Isles of Scilly is also set to benefit from major new investment into its cultural tourism offer after a successful bid by the Islands’ Partnership to Arts Council England’s national Cultural Destinations fund. The two-year project will bring to life Scilly’s rich and distinctive cultural heritage offer to attract new visitors to the islands. It will see the development of a range of new visitor experiences including discovery trails, events and cultural short break packages. And additionally, the Islands’ Partnership is set to embark on a project to enable businesses, and in particular accommodation providers, across the islands to take bookings online – something that is getting increasingly important for our visitors.”
The 2016 Visitor Survey was conducted by the Islands’ Partnership in association with The South West Research Company.

The full 2016 Survey Report can be found in the members’ area of the IP website, under “Reports, Surveys & Business Matters”.

The Islands’ Partnership has joined forces with Tresco Island to secure the return of the Royal Air Force Aerobatics Team, the Red Arrows, and a repeat performance of a full 25-minute aerobatic display above the Isles of Scilly on Bank Holiday Monday, 28th August 2017. The display, which will be sponsored by Tresco Island as part of its wider commitment to the islands, follows the success of last year’s display – a first for Scilly.

“We are very excited to see the return of the Red Arrows this coming August Bank Holiday weekend and are extremely grateful for the support and sponsorship of Tresco Island to help make it happen,” says David Jackson, Executive Director, Islands’ Partnership. “They certainly delivered the ‘wow’ factor at the end of last year’s Islands’ Regatta and it’s a great coup for the islands to see them return to perform once again.”

Whilst the Regatta is not set to return in its entirety until 2018, there will be a whole range of other fun events and entertainment to look forward to throughout this year’s Bank Holiday weekend, which this year falls within the school summer holidays.

Robert Dorrien-Smith, owner of Tresco Island, added: “Last year’s event was a true spectacle, bringing the islands together and really putting us on the map. The excitement across the islands was palpable and it was a real boon for Scilly. The display also delivered a very real economic boost for the islands, with businesses across Scilly saying there was a noticeable lift in trade at the end of the summer holidays.

“We hope this sponsorship – part of our wider commitment to the islands and their future – will bring great benefits to Scilly’s business community, and great pleasure to islanders and visitors alike.”

The Islands’ Partnership and Tresco Island are very grateful for the support of the Council of the Isles of Scilly and St. Mary’s Airport, the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group and the Duchy of Cornwall for their support and cooperation.

Further details of the Red Arrows display and the weekend’s events will be published soon. To plan your visit, see www.visitislesofscilly.com or www.tresco.co.uk.

The Islands’ Partnership, has launched its Photography Competition for 2017 in partnership with St. Mary’s Hall Hotel Isles of Scilly Travel. The annual Isles of Scilly Photography Competition has grown to become a popular feature across the islands, attracting more than 2,500 entries over the past three years.

Last year’s winning photo, “Sky, Sea, Sand” by Carl Farran, together with the winning entries from 2014 and 2015 – “Puffin” by Steven Burbidge and Megan Gallacher’s “Tropical Oasis”, respectively – have all become iconic marketing images for the Isles of Scilly alongside many of those that were shortlisted in their categories.

The 2017 competition is open to all photographers living on, working on, or visiting the islands between 1st May and 30th September as well as, for one special category, visitors who have been coming to the islands for years and who care to share some distinctive photographic memories of Scilly.

The outright winner will win a three-night break for two on a Bed & Breakfast basis at St. Mary’s Hall Hotel on St. Mary’s, together with two return tickets on the Scillonian III passenger ferry courtesy of Isles of Scilly Travel.

The eight categories for the 2017 Isles of Scilly Photography Competition are: Dusk to Dawn; Historic Scilly; Island Life; Islands like nowhere else in England; Scilly Memories (old photos from yesteryear); Scilly on the Water; Taste of Scilly; and Wild Scilly.

With the Scillonian III celebrating 40 years of service this year and the Isles of Scilly Museum celebrating its 50th anniversary, the categories are designed to encourage photographers to capture those perfect moments of their Scilly experiences – whether it be photographing wild seabirds and dolphins accompanying the Scillonian III on its journey to and from the islands, capturing a piece of living (or past) Scillonian history, or simply shooting the perfect sunset over Samson.

Following the closure of the competition on 30th September, a short list of the best entries from each category will be selected by representatives of the Islands’ Partnership. These entries will then be displayed online via visitislesofscilly.com, and the general public invited to vote for their favourite images. The winner will be notified by email in November 2017.

“The annual Isles of Scilly Photography Competition is a great addition to our seasonal calendar and one that is enthusiastically anticipated by some visitors to the islands,” says David Jackson, Executive Director, Islands’ Partnership. “We look for photos that really do encapsulate the essence of Scilly and welcome photographers keen to showcase their talents in Visit Isles of Scilly’s marketing materials including the Visit Isles of Scilly Guide, our website and various promotional materials throughout the year. There is a lot to celebrate on the islands this year, which is why we’ve included the Scilly Memories category to encourage exhibits that capture those nostalgic family holidays and cherished moments on Scilly from yesteryear. We’re looking forward to some interesting sepia photos and Polaroids, or scans thereof, arriving in our office!

“And finally, of course, I would like to thank St. Mary’s Hall Hotel and Isles of Scilly Travel for their kind and generous donations for the winner’s prize.”

Further information about the competition and how to apply can be found on Visit Isles of Scilly.