Food and Drink Fest numbers down 6,000

£365k brought in despite drop in visitors

This year's Isle of Man Food and Drink Festival attracted 6,000 fewer attendees than last year.

That's according to a study by the Marketing Partnership, conducted during the two-day festival.

Despite the drop in numbers, the event was worth around £365,000 to the Manx economy, with each visitor spending around £41.36 on average.

In total, around 10,000 people attended the festival, down from an estimated 16,000 last year.

80% of those attending said it was a good opportunity to sample local food, while 82% of exhibitors say they'll return next year.

Work is also underway to improve the time spent queuing for the 2022 event.