Former police officer Ged Power has joined forces with established company Regency Travel to launch a new drive aimed at bringing more tourism to the island.
And the plan is to tee up for busy times ahead in 2017 by attracting golfing tours to the island and its eight courses.
Keen golfer Ged says research has indicated golfers are big spenders.
Duke Street, Douglas based Regency Travel’s managing director Tony Lawrence and Ged, unveiled their new initiative called Isle of Man Golf Holidays by donning specially branded tops and practising their swing in the shop.
Both men say they are determined to help boost the island’s economy during the year ahead.
Ged told Business News he had been previously involved in golf tourism for more than four years having been involved in the award-winning Isle of Man Golf Tours .
‘Now to have the opportunity to work with Regency is absolutely fabulous because not only do we have the team here but there is more power to your elbow.
‘The team here are fully aware of golf packages and how they work and it is great to have that administration back up.
‘But also we have a team that has been found to be successful with in-bound tourism during TT.’
The team are also going live with a ‘great new website’ at isleofmangolfholidays.com
Ged said: ‘The website will give us much more range and options for selling packages for visitors from across the British Isles and further afield.’
Ged added the new initiative has a ‘much broader reach’ to attract teams of golfers over to the island.
An active member of Castletown Golf Club, Ged, who lives in Port Erin, said: ‘In my four year experience where over 2,000 golfers have been brought to the island I can state that I know how to manage them when they are here and, there is no doubt about it, the Isle of Man is a great venue for a golfing holiday, with the eight island courses and also the apres golf scene as well.
‘I don’t just mean going out for a beer, there is the fact we have the iconic TT course which is something the golfers like to see and experience.
‘But also the culture and the heritage and history of the island all within 25 minutes of the island’s capital.’
‘This formula has been successful but now I think we can take this up to a new level with having Regency behind it. If you look at the tourism campaigns for Wales and Northern Ireland, golf is a growing feature for bringing people to their shores.’
Ged will also use his social media and internet skills to help push the message home.
And he is also developing his tech-savvy talents to develop a filming side so that TV-style ‘programmes’ can be produced with interviews and topical news for visiting golfers. The new drive also includes a collaboration with islander Dean Greenland who runs a company called Dangerous Golf selling golfing apparel.
Tony Lawrence said he was delighted Ged had come on board with the project. He said bookings from groups were already coming in and boosting the island’s economy was very much at the forefront.
Ged said: ‘It’s a known fact golfers are a different breed.’