Visitor numbers rose by 43,000 in 2023

More than 300,000 visitors contributed £183m in revenue in 2023

The number of holidaymakers visiting the Isle of Man rose by 43,000 on the previous year, the island’s tourism agency has said.

Visit Isle of Man said more than 318,000 people travelled to the island in 2023, up from 275,000 in 2022.

Despite still being down on the 330,000 visitors in 2019, the annual spend by holidaymakers has risen by £40m on pre-pandemic levels to £183m.

The rise comes two years into a 10-year strategy by tourism bosses to boost annual visitor numbers to 500,000.

The latest figures surpassed the government's targets for the year, which were set at 300,000 visitors spending a total of £161.4m.

Managing Director of Island Escapes, John Keggin, who is on the board of the island's Visit agency, said the increase indicated the start of a “promising revival following the challenges posed by the pandemic”.

Chief executive of Visit Isle of Man Deborah Heather said emphasis had been placed on "positioning the island as a unique and interesting destination".

"Whilst we appreciate that external factors can influence tourism trends, this substantial growth in visitor numbers, spend and forward bookings sets a positive tone for the wider tourism sector.”