Tourism bosses are looking for shops to join a scheme designed to encourage cruise ship visitors to spend more money in the island.

Visit Isle of Man, the government’s tourism body, wants retailers to join a ’Cruise Welcome’ scheme.

Under that, the shops would promote offers to cruise visitors.

Retailers who sign up can set their own offers and incentives, which will be advertised to cruise visitors when they get to the island.

Those who take part in the scheme will be given ’Cruise Welcome’ stickers to display in the shop or restaurant window.

As part of the scheme, retailers will be asked to share information with the cruise operations promoters at the end of the season.

Organisers hope more accurate analysis of the cruise business and can help identify ways in which Visit Isle of Man can increase the amount of money cruise visitors spend.

The Isle of Man is set to welcome a record number of cruise passengers in 2019, with more than 12,500 passengers arriving - along with 7,200 crew - on 47 cruise ships due to visit this year.

Forecast passenger figures are up nearly 50% on last year and the current scheme looks to develop what is referred to as ’the onshore offering’.

That means they want visitors to spend more money while they’re in the island.

In 2018 4,493 visitors - 54% of total passengers - went on guided tours, activities such as triking or walking, heritage sites and the railways.

Rob Callister MHK, the politician whose brief includes tourism, said: ’We are delighted with the number of cruise ships visiting the island this year but, as always, we remain vigilant to the changing nature of the business and continue to look at ways in which we can sustain the number of current visits and increase the value of each visitor to the island.

’This initiative, developed by Isle of Man consultants Neptumar, is a great way to promote local retailers to our cruise visitors and we hope the supporting data will provide us with a base to more accurately monitor our visitors moving forwards.

’As an agency we have committed to creating and maintaining a programme of research and market intelligence to direct strategy and measure achievement.

’Neptumar has also been working hard on developing new tours and diversifying the number of sites visited by passengers.

’This year we will see more passengers visiting Peel and Laxey, and Manx National Heritage will see more tours to Rushen Abbey than in previous years. This combined with the opportunity for passengers on-board to enjoy the growing range of Manx produce, which is being incorporated into the cruise menus, is a superb way to promote the variety and quality of the Isle of Man offering.’

The 2019 season includes six inaugural cruise calls, with three taking place week beginning on May 22.

There are also a number of returning cruise lines which have been absent over the past few years due to the cyclical nature of itinerary planning and the requirement for cruise lines to vary their schedules.

To take part in the ’Cruise Welcome Scheme’ as a retailer contact Seonad Duggan at [email protected]