Report calls for Visit Isle of Man to be established as a statutory tourism board

Series of recommendations set out calling for reforms to enhance cohesion

A more cohesive and co-ordinated approach to promoting the Island and the establishment of Visit Isle of Man as a statutory Isle of Man Tourism Board are among the recommendations of a new report.

The Economic Policy Review committee has been looking into the policy intent and effectiveness of the Department for Enterprise Agency model, which has been in place for a decade.

The proposal from the EPRC is that a new Isle of Man Tourism Board would replace Visit Isle of Man and that interest in and representation of hospitality as a sector would fall within its remit.

For the past 10 years Visit Isle of Man has operated as an agency within the Department for Enterprise.

The EPRC report stresses that the review is a focused and objective document for Government and parliamentary consideration, and is not a reflection on the people overseeing and assuming responsibilities and roles within DFE and its agencies.

DfE is currently carrying out its own review of the agency model.