Island Life Magazine Ltd February / March 2016 | Page 21

INTERVIEW

down on the list.
“In fact, the visitor sees the ferry
as something fantastic that adds an
element to exclusivity to their holiday.
They expect to pay to come over here,
just as they would happily pay to go to
any other resort”.
That’s why David’s approach to
marketing the Island, when it comes to
the all-important Unique Selling Point, is
the idea of it as a ‘faraway escape’ that’s
actually not too far away.
“Queen Victoria and Albert were the
original examples of that kind of visitor:
busy London businesspeople who want
to get away from their daily pressured

lives but can’t go too far from home in
case they need to dash back”.
It’s no secret that Visit Isle of Wight sees
the London market as important – and
rumours have been circulating that there
are plans for a London office, financed by
hard-pressed Island businesses.
Wrong again, says David - although
he explains: “I would like to open a
promotional shop and drop-in centre
in London, selling Island crafts and
products and giving information about
the destination - but if that happens,
it will be as a commercial operation,
entirely funded by sales”.

Global Brand
David says his overriding vision for the
Island is as a ‘global brand’, which means
individual businesses need to agree to
work as part of a greater whole.
He knows this will be a tough call
– especially if some of the larger
businesses seem to attract more
attention and focus and smaller ones feel
left out.
“It’s just the way things work” he says.
“When I was in Derbyshire, there were
always businesses grumbling about the
amount of publicity and coverage that
Chatsworth House constantly attracted.
www.visitilife.com

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