This year’s Isle of Man Food & Drink Festival was worth an estimated £365,000 to the Manx economy, according to a research report.

The Marketing Partnership gathered information from 224 visitors and 28 exhibitors at September’s event which showcased products from 70 local producers.

Including children, 10,000 people attended this year’s event, compared to 16,000 in 2020, when the island emerged from its first lockdown.

Around 80% thought it had been a good opportunity to sample local produce and discover what is available on their doorstep, and 82% of exhibitors said they would return next year.

Feedback continues to highlight that the festival is a great day out. The main area for improvement regarded queuing times which the team will look to address in 2022.

Clare Barber MHK, Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture, said: ’The festival continues to play a significant role in growing the food and drink sector, a key goal of our Food Matters strategy. The report gives a clear indication that people are increasingly keen to know where their food comes from and buy and support local.’

The report also showed around 70% of those surveyed were aware of the Manx Provenance label, indicating locally grown, reared and processed food, and felt it was important.