Minister's hotel occupancy claim contradicted by official data

Tourism figures show hotels were not "full all season", with some occupancy rates falling below 60 percent in summer 2024

A claim by Enterprise Minister Tim Johnston that Isle of Man hotels were “full all season” has been contradicted by official data, released in response to a written Tynwald question from Onchan MHK Rob Callister.

Figures from Visit Isle of Man’s monthly occupancy surveys – commissioned by the Department for Enterprise – reveal that average occupancy rates for serviced accommodation dropped notably across summer 2024.

Serviced accommodation includes hotels, guest houses, B&Bs, and serviced apartments.

In July 2024, serviced occupancy stood at 62 percent – down from 87 percent in July 2023 and 84 percent in July 2022.  In August 2024, occupancy fell to 60 percent, compared to 83 percent in August 2023 and 79 percent in August 2022.  

September 2024 saw the lowest serviced occupancy of the summer period at 59 percent, down from 82 percent in 2023 and 77 percent in 2022.

The only month in 2024 where serviced occupancy exceeded 70 percent was May, at 78 percent – up from 69 percent in May 2023 and 68 percent in May 2022.  June 2024 saw a slight drop to 72 percent, compared to 82 percent in both previous years.

In contrast, non-serviced accommodation – which includes self-catering units, hostels, and campsites – performed more consistently across the same period.

Occupancy levels in July and August 2024 were both recorded at 81 and 82 percent respectively, broadly matching levels seen in 2022 and 2023.  September 2024 saw a modest recovery to 74 percent, following a dip to 65 percent in 2023.

Data from the Department also shows the number of registered accommodation providers:

• Hotels: 17 in March 2022 and March 2024, 16 in 2023
• Guest Houses: 30 in 2022, falling to 28 in 2023 and 29 in 2024
• B&Bs: 52 in 2022, reducing to 49 in 2023 and 41 in 2024
• Self-Catering: 448 in 2022, 441 in 2023, rising slightly to 454 in 2024

Despite the registration figures, occupancy data should be interpreted with caution.  The survey is voluntary, with a limited proportion of providers taking part.

In 2024, serviced occupancy results were drawn from between nine and 17 respondents per month, representing just seven to 15 percent of the registered stock.  Non-serviced figures had a broader sample, with over 100 responses each month, covering between 20 and 38 percent of providers.

Minister Johnston has since apologised for the earlier claim that hotels were “full all season”, acknowledging that it was not accurate. He had previously repeated the statement in the Tynwald Chamber after it was met with scepticism by other members.