Business Checklist

Move from Product to Memorable Experiences

There is an opportunity for tourism partners on the Isle of Man to work together to combine and pair their product assets, creating engaging and memorable visitor experiences. The promise of these experiences can inspire visitors to come and to explore further once they are here, increasing spend. They offer reasons for existing visitors to return and to recommend your business.

Developing visitor experiences is all about using the products and assets that you have. Visitor experiences are often about relatively small but innovative and creative interventions. The outstanding natural environment of the Isle of Man offers huge potential for visitor experiences that can appeal across all key markets. 

Visitor Experiences - After a holiday people remember the experiences that emotionally connect them with a place, its people and culture. They are seeking surprises and stories that resonate with them and that they share with their friends and family. Simply put, the experience you offer and the stories you share are what creates a memorable experience for visitors. 

Partner up with a complementary businesses to provide a more all-encompassing and appealing experience of the destination. Can you work with an accommodation provider to create a package or add a local food or drink element to your experience?

Tap into the new trend of the safe outdoors and opportunities presented by Isle of Man’s natural environment. Can you think of creative ways visitors can explore the seasons, the wildlife and the flora and fauna?

Can you offer an experience that will extend the daytime activity hours at either end? E.g. Dawn to dusk and dark skies.

Do you have a new business idea or can you refresh your offer to appeal to the Isle of Man’s growth markets – Curious Explorers and Experience Seekers?

• To find potential partners, view your listing on the Visit Isle of Man website to see ‘what’s nearby’ your business. You will find this at the bottom of your product page.

• Develop your experience to capitalise on our key markets – view the Island’s customer personas for Traditional Travellers, Curious Explorers or Experience Seekers

• Speak to the New Product team for ideas to develop your product, connect with complementary partner businesses or to include your experience as part of a holiday itinerary.

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Better Market Your Experience

Authentic and off the beaten path experiences are very attractive to new markets. Visitors are also looking for ways to escape the routine, seeking opportunities for personal growth as a remedy to always ‘being on’.

Businesses are a central part of marketing the Isle of Man – many form part of the compelling offer of the unique cultural heritage or take place in the Island’s outstanding natural environment, a key asset which has been declared and internationally recognised as an Island Biosphere.

We need to better communicate experiences to visitors in ways that are persuasive and easy to understand. Recent research has highlighted many people are aware of the Island but are unaware about what the Island has to offer. Visit Isle of Man want to better understand and reflect the variety of experiences on offer in our unique and internationally significant environment.

Review your content – does your marketing content really tell the visitor what they will experience and about the place they will experience it – does it offer a glimpse of something rare or special or a way to explore the Island from a different perspective? Ensure you explain what is special about your product or the place(s) the experience is taking place.                                    

Does your experience include a participatory activity, something memorable or an opportunity for the visitor to learn something new or provide personal growth? Make sure you draw on this in your descriptions.

More tips & resources

• Ensure you update your Visit Isle of Man listing, your and social media, making sure you tell the visitor what they will experience.

• Look at Your Space Your Story Marketing Toolkit and how you can utilise it.

• Tell Visit Isle of Man about the experiences you offer and share photography. For help use our Seasonal Content calendar as a guide.

• Use testimonials and seek feedback from visitors on your experience and let this inspire the language you use as part of your messaging. Connect your TripAdvisor or reviews to your Visit Isle of Man listing.

• Appoint a specialist consultant via the Business Improvement Scheme – to help you review your marketing approach and how you can creatively revise and refresh your content to better market your business and the experience you offer.

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How Can Visitors Find You

The Island’s tourism offering needs to align with contemporary visitor expectations of experiences, quality and service. Visit Isle of Man hope to empower and equip businesses to raise standards and be easily bookable online.

Incremental developments for existing attractions and experiences can also add value, refresh and increase the variety of the offer in these product areas to bring it in line with other contemporary visitor experiences.

Walk through your customer service from a visitor perspective – are you easy to find, can they easily determine what they will experience will be and is it easy to book with you.

What can you provide before, during and after the trip or experience? Information provided to the visitor before the experience may build up excitement, help get them prepared or trust you have safe measures in place. Then, a simple thanks, a memento or an email about your other experiences could encourage them to rebook.

Refresh your offer by creating a themed trail or a more interactive way to engage with your product to attract new audiences

Ensure you have clean, comfortable and contemporary facilities to meet today’s visitor expectations particularly in light of Covid-19.

Collect feedback after the experience and encourage visitors to provide a review. Even if a visitor has had a negative experience, responding to them in the right way and committing to make small improvements or inviting them to return so you can resolve their issues, can turn a negative complaint into a positive recommendation.

• Get a booking system in place so visitors can book you 24/7 or see what tools are available on your booking system to allow you to communicate with bookers before and after their experience. View what booking and hospitality solutions are integrated with the Visit Isle of Man website and the capabilities they offer.

• Obtain up to £10,000 of support for website development and booking system until 31^st October 2021. Find out if you are eligible for the Business Improvement Scheme.

• Add your expertise, pre-visit information and an Access Statement to your Visit Isle of Man listing, log in here and send your access statement to tourismbusiness@gov.im.

• Watch our webinar by QiT on ‘Exceeding Customer Expectations’ for advice and best practices on how to develop and improve the customer service experience, especially in light of COVID-19 and the subsequent changes in consumer expectations and preferences.

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UNESCO Biosphere

The connection with nature and environmental sustainability are at the forefront of consumers’ minds and this includes behaviours related to travel. Sustainability should present balance between protecting the natural environment, economic growth and maintaining vibrant social communities and cultural identities.  

Showcase how your business demonstrates support for local produce, slow travel or caring for the environment. Signpost and show visitors how easy it is to access beauty spots and special places, hire e-bikes or buy local produce.

Commit to follow the Countryside Code and Coastal Code on the Isle of Man and look into getting WISE scheme accredited (watching wildlife the safe way) if applicable and promote. 

• Become a UNESCO Biosphere partner by seeing how your business can work towards the Biosphere Pledge.

• Find your nearest Nature Reserve, Dark Skies Discovery site and tell visitors about them ahead of their visit or as something they can do nearby.

• Ensure you tell your visitors about the nearest Farmer’s Market and highlight where they can eat or dine and taste the best of local – browse our Local Produce Champion eateries.