The Isle of Wight has long been a popular tourist destination, attracting people from all over the world to its many historic sites, natural beauty, and sandy coastline.
However, over the past few years, a noticeable decline has been seen in the number of visitors to the island. The number of visitors to the Island between January and June 2025 totalled 826,249, which was a 5.1% decline from the same period in 2024.
It’s not just the number of visitors, but also the amount of money spent while visiting, that’s changing year-on-year. Visitor spend decreased by 1.5% to £101.2 million. When looking closer at the numbers, though, the average spend of overnight visitors went up by 17% and the spend by day visitors increased by almost 40%.
Managing director of Visit Isle of Wight, Will Myles, have discussed the drop in visitor numbers with residents, saying, “I have spoken to many businesses in the [tourism] sector and while some are feeling the hit more than others, I hope the Island’s tourism industry will see that the picture here is not as bad as the national picture.” He continued to state that a drop in visitor figures is not a good thing; however, the Island’s businesses and Visit Isle of Wight are working together to reduce the impact.
This drop in tourism can be attributed to rising travel costs, including an increase in ferry prices. There has also been a notable decline in families visiting the island. It’s recommended by industry experts that the Island take active steps to increase tourism numbers, like marketing the island for families. Another option is to adopt modern technology to attract younger travelers.
Many tourists are not using cryptocurrencies while traveling, for convenience and security. Introducing crypto-friendly payment systems at hotels and entertainment venues will make the Island more appealing to a younger demographic. The island can even look at promoting online entertainment options, like reputable Bitcoin blackjack gambling sites, to show how local operators are embracing new technology.
Despite spending increasing, the drop in the number of visitors is a big concern as to whether the Island is losing its appeal to visitors, or whether it is not being marketed correctly as a must-see destination.
The data was collected by The Isle of Wight Passenger Survey. It also showed a change in tourist demographics. Adult-only visitors make up 89% of all tourists, meaning family groups (who tend to visit for longer periods) are only 11% of the current market. This is specifically a concern for service providers who focus on young families.
According to Myles, Visit Isle of Wight is ready to roll up its sleeves and to “battle our corner with and on behalf of the Island’s tourism industry”.
The current situation with tourism on the Isle of Wight is similar to what is seen across the UK. Spending on local holidays in Britain fell by 21% between 2022 and 2025, which was a £3 billion loss for the sector. The coastal areas felt the impact the most, with domestic spending dropping by 30% along the coast. The reasons for this decline were attributed to an increased cost of living and weak consumer confidence in the local economy.
According to Myles, “The most recent research shows that 45% of UK adults state that they think ‘the worst is still to come regarding the cost of living crisis, citing the top three barriers to taking a domestic overnight trip as the rising cost of living, UK weather, and rising costs of holiday/leisure.”
Britain also mirrored the Isle of Wight in terms of tourist spending trends. Spend on overnight trips increased by 7% from Q2 2024 to Q2 2025, and spend per holiday trip increased by 11% over the same period. Solo and adult-only trips also made up the majority of domestic tourists.
The cost of living crisis is only worsening, and Visit Isle of Wight will have to pull out all the stops to market the Island in such a way that visitors (both domestic and international) will be willing to part with their money for a holiday.
