TT 2020 cost £960,000.00.

[Max Power]

25 minutes ago, Mr Helmut Fromage said:

Max - I always admire your positivity and constant belief in the event - acknowledging you as a competitor, TM, medical first responder administrator and recipient of such (both by consequence & self inflicted by choice) but I think it's done now - the Irish race / feeder system / licence stamping exercise is almost null and void -- no riders = no races...

Yes, it is true that the Irish race scene is not what it was, but that is pretty much reflected across the world of motorsport as people look elsewhere for excitement. The TT and MGP have a lot of international competitors these days, probably more in the TT than its heyday. There doesn't seem to be any shortage of competitor interest quite yet Helmut but I can see the point you make.  

[joebean]

The TT has been around for what, 113 years? I suspect there have been many predictions over the years that it was at an end. I suspect it will be around for a while yet but things are changing and I would not be surprised to see the start of a gradual decline. No doubt Max is right and there will still be sufficient competitors to keep it going in terms of numbers but the real issue is whether sufficient people will want to come and see it. As the Island does not appear to have an alternative attraction to bolster the Tourism sector, I also suspect that Government will continue to pump cash into it until the figures for the return on that investment no longer justify the disruption and reputational liability or another, more rewarding investment opportunity for the industry is identified. This is going to take some time as the Island, and Government still like to be defined by the event. Motorsport, generally, faces an uncertain future as the younger generations are no longer drawn to it.

[dilligaf]

2 hours ago, joebean said:

The TT has been around for what, 113 years? I suspect there have been many predictions over the years that it was at an end. I suspect it will be around for a while yet but things are changing and I would not be surprised to see the start of a gradual decline. No doubt Max is right and there will still be sufficient competitors to keep it going in terms of numbers but the real issue is whether sufficient people will want to come and see it. As the Island does not appear to have an alternative attraction to bolster the Tourism sector, I also suspect that Government will continue to pump cash into it until the figures for the return on that investment no longer justify the disruption and reputational liability or another, more rewarding investment opportunity for the industry is identified. This is going to take some time as the Island, and Government still like to be defined by the event. Motorsport, generally, faces an uncertain future as the younger generations are no longer drawn to it.

Yet our idiotic Government still went ahead and killed Rallying. Why ??? The TT will NOT be here for that much longer, so decisions have to be made. We need tourists and that is without a doubt, but propping up the TT is not the way to go. It has run it’s course, so to speak.
Those people being paid massive salaries need to be thinking of a replacement now, not in ten years time. 
I have loved the TT for decades, but am old enough to know it is soon going to be history. Wake up MHKs, you are meant to be looking afte4 our interests, not our history.

[Non-Believer]

MHKs think in 5 year cycles. No further.

[woolley]

1 hour ago, dilligaf said:

Yet our idiotic Government still went ahead and killed Rallying. Why ??? The TT will NOT be here for that much longer, so decisions have to be made. We need tourists and that is without a doubt, but propping up the TT is not the way to go. It has run it’s course, so to speak.
Those people being paid massive salaries need to be thinking of a replacement now, not in ten years time. 
I have loved the TT for decades, but am old enough to know it is soon going to be history. Wake up MHKs, you are meant to be looking afte4 our interests, not our history.

Is there much financial benefit from rallying? Obviously a bit of boat traffic, but otherwise?

[Max Power]

47 minutes ago, woolley said:

Is there much financial benefit from rallying? Obviously a bit of boat traffic, but otherwise?

Mainly competitors and crews with a number of spectators. The heady days of Rallying are long behind us now. They do tend to use hotels and guest houses though. The Manx Rally was the best in the UK but once the government set up its committee of ex govt employees and the DoI to add to the layers of bureaucracy which the governing body already have, because they could, they killed it dead.

[Derek Flint]

 

6 hours ago, dilligaf said:

Yet our idiotic Government still went ahead and killed Rallying. Why ??? The TT will NOT be here for that much longer, so decisions have to be made. We need tourists and that is without a doubt, but propping up the TT is not the way to go. It has run it’s course, so to speak.
Those people being paid massive salaries need to be thinking of a replacement now, not in ten years time. 
I have loved the TT for decades, but am old enough to know it is soon going to be history. Wake up MHKs, you are meant to be looking afte4 our interests, not our history.

But do we need tourists? It’s 1% of GDP overall. Do we spend a disproportionate amount of time and money chasing them?

5 hours ago, woolley said:

Is there much financial benefit from rallying? Obviously a bit of boat traffic, but otherwise?

Lots. Per head their spend is much higher when on Island. A friend closely involved worked the figs out and presented them to DFE. They had no idea it was so lucrative!

[asitis]

I agree Derek, a tourist strategy should be aimed at niche tourism not some fanciful overarching policy trying to attract all and sundry, which in the age of being able to travel to the sun cheaply (or at least you could), makes us as a bucket and spade family holiday destination look silly.

There are markets in Rallying, wildlife, outdoor scenic pursuits and others. Cash specifically targeted at a niche, would imo produce better results than trying to paint this quaint victorian seaside memorabilia image, which is costing millions.

 

[woolley]

3 hours ago, Derek Flint said:

 

But do we need tourists? It’s 1% of GDP overall. Do we spend a disproportionate amount of time and money chasing them?

Lots. Per head their spend is much higher when on Island. A friend closely involved worked the figs out and presented them to DFE. They had no idea it was so lucrative!

Your second paragraph appears to negate your first. They're all tourists. It would be very odd to have such a naturally beautiful place and turn your back on tourism. It's the 1% that's wrong and of course the strategy. 

[joebean]

If you want to look for the culprits for the demise of Rally IOM and the difficulties experienced by the surviving events, look to DoI and DHA. I don’t think the Rally IOM organisers helped themselves. When the writing is in the wall, you have to at least read it. 

[joebean]

4 minutes ago, woolley said:

Your second paragraph appears to negate your first. They're all tourists. It would be very odd to have such a naturally beautiful place and turn your back on tourism. It's the 1% that's wrong and of course the strategy. 

Ok, but what should the strategy be? Presenting the Island as it is does not appear to be working as the number of visitors remains stubbornly small, as does the GDP contribution. There are too many vested interests having an input into the tourism strategy. Heritage might have a part to play but it is not the major attraction that it is assumed to be. The results speak for themselves. It’s a difficult market that needs some difficult and new decisions before any progress can be made. 

[VinnieK]

3 hours ago, Derek Flint said:

But do we need tourists? It’s 1% of GDP overall. Do we spend a disproportionate amount of time and money chasing them?

Surely the counter argument to that is that tourism helps diversify the economy, brings money into predominantly locally run and owned business and those supporting them, and helps make transport links (which we all benefit from) more viable than they otherwise would be.

That's not to say that our tourist strategy couldn't benefit from change, but citing the share of GDP doesn't actually mean a great deal; you could use the same argument to say that we should stop 'chasing' Engineering firms, since they contribute less than 1% to GDP.  In fact, I'm not sure share of GDP is that useful a measure in any case, compared with, say, domestic employment figures and government revenue via VAT and direct taxation.  

[woolley]

I think we do need the heritage offering. It's expected wherever you go nowadays. It's another one of those areas where you need flair and investment from experts in the sector, i.e the tourism world. You can't expect imaginative innovation from civil servants.  Highlands & Islands seem to get more visitors than they can cope with and it's not cheap or easy to travel there either.  

[paswt]

7 hours ago, Max Power said:

 The Manx Rally was the best in the UK but once the government set up its committee of ex govt employees and the DoI to add to the layers of bureaucracy which the governing body already have, because they could, they killed it dead.

Absolutely agree  the Gov and it's clueless employees did exactly that with "Jurby Day" , a well run and successful event ran by a" bunch of OAP bike enthusiasts" ( a term used by IOM 'management' ), which IMO  embarrassed the governments "Motor Sport Team" and encouraged them to to kill it .

The government now run Jurby and if you want to spectate at a race day the government will charge you £20 just to park your car  ....... Unbelievable  

Don't get me started on the organisation of the TT/MGP , the lack of communication   between the marshals and those in charge is staggering ( emails in relation to safety issues raised by marshals are studiously and repeatably ignored ) they would do well to carry out 'exit interviews' on those marshals who have called it a day (and then "they" may learn something ! ).The expression "Lions led by Donkeys springs to mind.

just saying

[P.K.]

1 hour ago, woolley said:

I think we do need the heritage offering. It's expected wherever you go nowadays. It's another one of those areas where you need flair and investment from experts in the sector, i.e the tourism world. You can't expect imaginative innovation from civil servants.  Highlands & Islands seem to get more visitors than they can cope with and it's not cheap or easy to travel there either.  

But they have places worth visiting like the unique and incomparable Skara Brae.