TT visitor numbers on the up

Apart from the centenary in 2007, the past two weeks saw the ferry company’s biggest figures for a decade.

In total, just less than 35,200 passengers travelled to the Isle of Man of ferries between May 23-June 8, which was up 4.3 per cent on last year.

Figures also revealed a 3.4 per cent increase in the number of motorbikes, which came in at more than 11,200 this year.

The Steam Packet’s chief executive Mark Woodward explained that the number also included Manx nationals returning to the Island so the number of motorbikes proves a more accurate indicator as to how many visitors there were.

He added that passenger numbers have increased nearly 17 per cent since 2009, with motorbikes up 13.5 per cent.