The Islands’ Partnership, is delighted to announce the launch of Scilly’s official Photography Competition for 2018, this year in partnership with Karma St. Martin’s Hotel. This year’s competition is open to all photographers living on, working on, or visiting the islands and is open to entries from this Easter weekend.

The annual Isles of Scilly Photography Competition continues to be a hugely popular feature across the islands, attracting nearly 4,000 entries over the past four years.  Last year was our biggest to date, with 1,350 photos submitted.  And the winning photos from the previous competitions – Mark Smith’s “The Daily Commute” (2017); “Sky, Sea, Sand” by Carl Farran (2016), Megan Gallacher’s “Tropical Oasis” (2015) and “Puffin” by Steven Burbidge (2014) – have all become iconic marketing images for the Isles of Scilly alongside many of those that were shortlisted in their categories.

The outright winner will win a three-night break for two on a Bed & Breakfast basis at Karma St. Martin’s, dinner for two at Karma St. Martin’s on one of the evenings, and two return tickets to Scilly (flights or passenger ferry) from Penzance or Lands’ End.

The eight categories for the 2018 Isles of Scilly Photography Competition are: An island playground; Creative Scilly; Escape to Scilly; Islands at Work; Natural Scilly; Our History & Heritage; Secret Scilly; and Taste of Scilly.

“With the launch of our Creative Islands project this year, we are particularly keen for budding photographers to explore Scilly’s rich cultural and artistic heritage.  We know too, that so many people come to Scilly to escape the hustle and bustle of modern-day living which is why we’re also looking to capture those perfect moments of wellbeing and island escapism,” says David Jackson, Executive Director, Islands’ Partnership (Visit Isles of Scilly).

“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,” he adds. “We’ll be looking 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.

“And finally, of course, I would like to thank Karma St. Martin’s for their kind and generous winner’s prize.”

Following the closure of the competition on 30^th 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 2018.

For further information about the competition and how to apply, visit our special website page: visitislesofscilly.com/photographycompetition

Industry leaders gather as part of English Tourism Week to show support for one of the country’s most tourism-dependent destinations

The Isles of Scilly today launches a bold new long-term plan for its vital tourism industry. The forward-looking Destination Management Plan sets out a new vision and a shared approach to help revitalise what is the islands’ principal industry, supporting around 85% of all employment.

The Plan has been developed by the Islands’ Partnership, the lead body for tourism and business on Scilly and has been supported by all of the islands’ major stakeholders and funded by the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership.

Alongside new investment in transport, quality and service, the plan calls for a stronger emphasis on its hidden cultural heritage, its potential as an eco-destination as well as the need for increased collaboration to help extend Scilly’s comparatively short tourist season.

James Berresford, Chairman of the Islands’ Partnership: “As a destination, the Isles of Scilly is blessed with some of the most outstanding natural assets of anywhere in the UK. We have a wonderful opportunity to harness these assets in a way that repositions the islands as the escape destination, meeting the growing demand for discerning, authentic, experience-led tourism. The Destination Management Plan will be instrumental in bringing the islands together behind this shared ambition, helping to ensure our industry is both sustainable and fit for the future.”

David Jackson, Executive Director of the Islands’ Partnership added: “Today’s launch marks a really significant moment for the islands. The Destination Management Plan, alongside the emerging Smart Islands programme and a new Local Plan, represents a genuinely exciting opportunity to trigger a real step-change in our industry and for Scilly to become a truly sustainable destination that’s economically resilient yet protective of its precious environment and unique sense of place.”

Tim Bagshaw, Head of Operations at the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership said: “Tourism is one of the region’s priority sectors and has been recognised as such in our 10 Opportunities prospectus. For the Isles of Scilly in particular, there’s real potential for Scilly’s tourism industry to grow and become more competitive and we’re confident that the new Destination Management Plan will be a vital mechanism to help drive this growth.”

The launch event for the new Destination Management Plan was held this afternoon at Tregarthen’s Hotel on St. Mary’s and brought together many of the islands’ leading tourism businesses, coinciding with the national English Tourism Week.

You can download and read the Destination Management Plan here.  (This is a compressed file.  If you’d like a hard copy you can request one from the Islands’ Partnership office.)

The Islands’ Partnership is delighted to report the busiest ever Scilly Business Week, with more than 200 participant slots snapped up across the week. There were more than a dozen sessions in total – ranging from workshops about online book-ability and Food Hygiene & Safety to how businesses can engage with and benefit from Plastic Free Scilly and how to prepare for the new General Data Protection Regulations that come into force in May.

We were also delighted to welcome to Scilly, Donna Kehoe, South West agent for the Bank of England who hosted a round-table, and Tim Bagshaw from the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership who delivered a keynote session on the recently published 10 Opportunities prospectus for Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly.

And there was also plenty of opportunities to chat to the business and finance experts one-to-one as well as to network with fellow businesses across the islands at lunches hosted by the Islands’ Partnership, Smart Islands and by our generous sponsors, the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Growth & Skills Hub.  Businesses on the islands also showcased new products they are introducing this year, including a new mobile booking app for St. Agnes Boating, extended premises and new product lines and premises at Island Fish and the opening in May of Longstone Lodge, a new style of accommodation for Scilly.

“I enjoyed the Smart Islands panel session and hearing the panel’s ‘on the spot’ responses to the questions posed,” says Sarah Poat of Polreath Tea Rooms & Guesthouse. “The subsequent workshop buzzed. Everyone had plenty to say and lots of ideas and the panel members facilitating each group had to work hard to keep us on task!  I also thought the Plastic Free Scilly session was great. If our combined interest and support can instigate change then fantastic. Whilst we banished single-use plastics from our daily routines at Polreath a number of years ago now, Nikki Banfield, from the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust provided us with lots of fascinating facts, figures and ideas as to how we can reduce our reliance on plastic even more and encourage others to do the same.”

Anna Cawthray from Scilly Seal Snorkelling agrees: “The Plastic Free Scilly session was thought provoking with useful advice on ways to reduce single-use plastic. There seemed that there was a lot of enthusiasm in the room to make changes and hopefully that can be capitalised on to help preserve our stunning natural environment. The social media presentation was highly entertaining with useful exercises that helped you focus on who your customers are and how to reach them,” she adds. “The information about Search Engine Optimisation was especially useful and I have used the website recommended on the course to review my own website and make improvements accordingly.  It’s always good to meet with other businesses before the season starts to find out what’s new and to realise that you might not be the only one who’s not quite fully prepared yet!” 

Kirsty Graham, from the Isles of Scilly Voucher Scheme summed up: “I really enjoyed Scilly Business Week this year. It feels like it is really gathering momentum”; whilst Nick Benatar, General Manager of Tregarthen’s Hotel, which hosted most of the week, was keen thank his staff and the Islands’ Partnership, as well as the speakers for putting on such a successful week. 

“There was a great atmosphere to this year’s Scilly Business Week and lots of enthusiasm for the workshops and presentations taking place. It’s a great opener for the new season,” says Chris Phillips, Business Connector for the CIOS Growth Hub. “We’re delighted to have supported this event again this year. Connecting business owners and entrepreneurs with the right support, funding and training opportunities to help them work smarter and grow is what the Growth Hub is all about, so it’s a great fit for us. Anyone looking for a helping hand for their business can get in touch any time.”

“There was a strong business presence at this year’s Scilly Business Week, with a great range of topics discussed and debated,” adds David Jackson, Islands’ Partnership Executive Director. “The anecdotal feedback we’ve received has been really positive, with many saying it was the best yet. Nonetheless, we are currently carrying out a Scilly Business Week survey that will help us gauge levels of satisfaction as well as ensure we keep topics relevant in the future. I would like to thank Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Growth & Skills Hub for their generous support and in helping us to make Scilly Business Week a great success.”