The tourism industry is confident of long-term growth, Enterprise Minister Laurence Skelly insisted this week.

His statement comes after a passenger survey last year reported a drop in visitor numbers and the numbers of this year’s TT dropped .

Mr Skelly was questioned in the House of Keys by Julie Edge (Onchan) over what the government was doing to stop the decline in tourist numbers.

He said: ’I would emphasise the continued confidence in the industry that long-term growth is supported by positive indicators such as high levels of investment, now approaching £50 million.’

The minister argued that, despite the figures for 2017, the same passenger surveys had shown that ’since 2013 the total numbers of traditional leisure visitors has increased by 15%, over the same period, visitor spend has increased by 23%’.

He added: ’It is important not to look at a specific year in isolation but to look over a number of years to understand the trends.’

Figures for 2018 will not be finalised until next year, he said, adding the DfE was focussed on growing visitor numbers and the value of their spend.

’Tourism is a highly valued element of our economy. However, competition for the tourism pound is fiercer than ever and we need to work extra hard to maintain our position and realise opportunities.’

Ms Edge pointed to the ’decline’ in figures for TT 2018, which showed visitor numbers had dropped 1.5% compared with 2017, at 44,367 - although the average length of stay increased to 6.7 nights.

When those figures were released, the DfE said the figures were not as bad as first predicted, following the schedule disruptions in 2017 and the absence of a number of leading competitors in 2018. The previous year had actually seen growth of more than 6% compared with 2016.

In the spring of this year a row broke out between the DfE and Cabinet Office after a passenger survey reported a drop in visitor numbers in 2017, while the Steam Packet reported increases in ferry travellers.

The passenger survey, issued in March, showed claimed that total visitors dropped 8.9% in 2017 from 292,328 to 266,850 - the lowest figure in a quarter of a century.

But soon after the Steam Packet has reported a 3.4% increase in its passengers and DfE member Rob Callister said at the time there had been plenty of positive indicators from within the industry.

Criticism of the passenger survey figures, however, was rejected by Policy and Reform Minister Chris Thomas when they were released in March.