Fewer off-Island visits for residents

Fewer people went off-Island last year, but the number of visitors to our shores remained roughly the same.

So says the Treasury’s economic affairs division after releasing air and sea passenger figures for 2012.

Its data shows the number of residents heading off the Island fell by around 6,000 – a drop of 0.7 per cent by air and 1.2 per cent by sea.

More than 294,000 visitors came to the Isle of Man in 2012, of which 40 per cent were friends and family of residents, 36 per cent tourists and 22 per cent business visitors.