Introducing our emerging destination brand strategy and vision
Visit Isle of Wight is developing a new destination brand strategy and vision for the Island – with a clear ambition: to build greater aspiration and desire for the Isle of Wight, strengthen our position as a destination and encourage more people to visit.
The Isle of Wight has no shortage of things to offer.
Coast and countryside. Nature and adventure. Food, culture and events. Independent businesses, beautiful landscapes and space to breathe.
But when there is so much to experience, there is an important question to consider:
What should the Isle of Wight be known for?
We want to move beyond simply telling people what they can do here and build a destination brand that makes people want to come.
Starting with the evidence
The work began with a review of national tourism and consumer trends, Isle of Wight passenger research and the wider visitor landscape.
One thing became clear: we are not simply competing with other seaside destinations.
We are competing for people’s limited leisure time against city breaks, countryside escapes, overseas holidays and all the other ways people can spend a few days – or longer – away.
So the opportunity is to understand not just what people can do here, but what makes the Island worth choosing – and how we can communicate that in a way that creates genuine interest and desire.
View the Research + Discovery Phase 1
From what you do to how it feels
People don’t just choose destinations because of what they can do. They choose somewhere because they can imagine themselves there – and how it will feel to spend time there.
For the Isle of Wight, that feeling could be about escape, freedom, space, fresh air and a different pace of life.
It is about having the time and space to experience more – whether that means getting outside, discovering somewhere new, enjoying good food, going to an event, spending time with family or simply slowing down.
That thinking has led to the emerging idea of Island Life.
Island Life is not a finished brand or campaign. It is a potential shared destination idea that could bring together the many different ways people experience the Island.
The ambition is for Island Life to create the emotional pull, while the wider destination strategy makes it easier for people to choose, plan and book their visit.
View the Emerging Destination Strategy + Vision
What happens next?
This is an emerging destination brand strategy and vision.
There are still questions to explore and gaps in our research to address as the thinking develops.
The next stage will help build out the detail around the emerging direction – including our audiences, their motivations, brand values, personality, tone of voice and creative expression, alongside how the destination can become easier to choose.
Ultimately, the goal is simple: to make more people want to visit the Isle of Wight – and give them more reasons to choose us.
A stronger destination brand should build awareness and aspiration, create desire and help turn that desire into visits, supporting the Island’s visitor economy and the businesses and communities that depend on it.