A leading player in the island’s holiday sector says his business has survived because of staycations.

Director and founder of holiday cottage firm Island Escapes, John Keggin, said: ’We have adapted our business to survive and chose to focus on the staycation market.’

He is also expecting to help a ’number of students’ with properties to isolate in over the coming weeks.

Mr Keggin told Business News the impact of residents holidaying in the island because of Covid-19 could not be underestimated.

He said: ’Prior to Covid in 2019 our business largely came from off island, 95% of our customers in fact were non Isle of Man residents.

’In 2020 this has flipped totally with 95% now coming from island residents and only 5% off island - mostly from Guernsey visitors, returning or those from the UK granted an exemption.

’We have adapted our business to survive and chose to focus on the staycation market, reducing prices for locals and encouraging people to rediscover their island.

’As such we have seen more than 500 staycation bookings since we reopened after the lockdown at the start of June.’

He said the local support has meant that ’we can continue to move forward so that we are ready for when things improve’.

Mr Keggin added: ’Earlier in the year we offered some of our properties out to key workers during the height of the pandemic when we were closed and throughout the year have helped lots of individuals returning to the island or key workers on an exemption with accommodation for isolation.

’In the coming weeks we are also helping a number of students returning home with a property to isolate in.

’We had 150 guests from 40 bookings from Guernsey during the summer.

Island Escapes has just opened a new office and guest drop in point, close to the beach just off Strand Road in Port Erin.

The company, established in 2018, provides marketing and management services to owners of self-catering holiday accommodation around the island and now manages nearly 60 properties, all of which are registered for tourism use.

Mr Keggin explained the decision in establishing a base. ’As the business grew I wanted to provide our guests with a place they could pop in to see us for help while on holiday, and with many of the properties we manage in the south, it felt appropriate that our first office should be in Port Erin.’

He added: ’We had been planning to open the office at Easter, but due to the coronavirus pandemic we put our plans on hold with everything looking so uncertain.

’But thanks to incredible local support with staycations this summer we’ve since decided to push on with our plans to ensure that when travel restrictions lift we are ready to hit the ground running’.

The company offers a full package of management services to property owners, and has attracted a number of investors who have helped raise the standard of the island’s self-catering offering.

Head of Visit Isle of Man Angela Byrne told Business News: ’Despite the challenges that 2020 has brought it has been encouraging to see Island Escapes continue to develop through this difficult period and plan for the future and we wish John and his team every success for the future.’

As well as operating from their office in Port Erin, Island Escapes is supported by travel firm Isle of Man Travel Services who handle much of the back office administration for the company, and are based in Village Walk in Onchan.

Business News reported earlier this year that staycations have been a welcome tonic for people running holiday cottages and self-catering businesses.