We are currently busy working on our 2016 tour programme where we plan to introduce at least one new tour. We hope to continue to work with our existing partners but would also welcome approaches from other tourist businesses who may like to become involved in our tours in some way. Should you wish to contact us to discuss any ideas you have, please feel free via our contact page. In the meantime, we hope to open our booking page for 2016 before the end of November so please keep an eye out for that!
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On Friday 9th October at around 8.20am, our mini-coach was involved in a RTC (Road Traffic Collision) with a HGV on the Downs Road. Fortunately there were no injuries what so ever but our coach sustained significant damage to the front. We are asking that if anyone witnessed the incident if they could contact us via our contact page. All information will be treated in the strictest confidence. Thank you.
The Isle of Wight Visitor Information Centre opens to the public today (Thursday) after the official handing over of the keys by Jonathan Bacon, Leader of the Isle of Wight Council to Simon Dabell, Chairman of Visit Isle of Wight in a short ceremony today (24th June) The Visitor Information Centre will be open six days a week from Monday to Saturday, 10.30am to 3.30pm (subject to change dependant on season and later on special event nights). VIOW Travel Ambassadors will be greeting visitors with a warm welcome and inspirational ideas to help them make the most of their stay. Funded by Visit Isle of Wight and the IW Council through a successful grant application from central government, Phase One of the Guildhall project has involved the opening of the Visitor Information Centre and relocating Visit Isle of Wight from Osborne House to the centre of Newport. The total cost for this first phase of Guildhall work (excluding Travel Ambassador staff) has been approximately £20,000. Visit Isle of Wight are currently in talks with the Isle of Wight Council to re-open the Island Museum. This involves a great deal of negotiation with collectors, the Council and volunteers, but it is hoped that the museum will open its doors before the end of 2015. It is hoped that the project will be taken to a third phase that involves restoration and development of the whole of the Guildhall building to house a larger collection of Island treasures and create space that can be used for visiting exhibition galleries and other civic and community functions. This phase is likely to take up to three years and will be reliant on the Isle of Wight obtaining in excess of £4 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund. David Thornton, CEO of Visit Isle of Wight said: I am delighted that we have been able to open a new Visitor Information Centre here in the heart of Newport, and would like to thank everyone at the Isle of Wight Council as well as our Board partners for their support in making this happen. Today is only the beginning of a whole new chapter in promoting the Island and providing a world class service to our guests. There’s plenty more to come. Jonathan Bacon, Leader of the Isle of Wight Council said: The Isle of Wight Council is delighted to show its continued support to Visit Isle of Wight by providing the Guildhall property as part of our ongoing commitment to marketing the Isle of Wight as the UK’s Holiday Island. We are working with VIOW and the Museum group to reopen the Island Museum as soon as practical. We are pleased to announce that we have teamed up with Isle of Wight ferry operator, Wightlink to create a link for day visitors who want to see as much as the Island as possible without the need for a car. . Wightlink have prominently featured us on their 'Day Trip' page of the 'To Do' section of their website providing a clear option for potential visitors to the Island. We see this as a positive step forward in help promoting the Island as a do-able destination in a day from Portsmouth. People will now be able discover how easy it can be to enjoy England's Garden Isle while someone else does the driving! You can see the new feature-link by clicking on the image. Here at Island Explorer, we try to offer value as well as good customer service. We appreciate that hiring a coach can be expensive especially if it's bigger than you need. So we have come up with an offer that saves you paying the full hire charge of our mini-coach. Available on Sundays, Mondays and Fridays, you can hire our mini-coach for as little as £170 for a short Island tour and to visit any attraction of your choice. That works out at the same tariff as our standard adult fare (based on 10 adult passengers). Call us on (01983) 475399 for further details of complete the on line enquiry form here for a no-obligation quote. Offer based on a 11am departure from anywhere on the Island with a return time of 4pm. Includes scenic tour of south west part of the Island and up to two attraction stops. A busy day for us tomorrow (Saturday)... one of our tour guides (Phil) will be entertaining a visiting coach tour from Bognor Regis and we will be running our first scheduled Round The Island Tour from Ryde. Our mini-coach will be on Ryde Esplanade at around 9.30am for a 10am departure. But don't let the weather put you off... the mini-coach gets cosy and warm with the heating on, so why not join us... we have some spaces left. Give us s bell on (01983) 475399. Yes, we are open as normal today! Due to a weather warning (high winds) in place for tomorrow (Tuesday), we have taken the decision not to operate our first public tour of the season (Follies, Smugglers & Shipwrecks) so our mini-coach will not be at the pick-up point in case anyone was thinking of turning up on spec. The forecast for the next few days isn't looking brilliant so we will monitor the situation and post up-dates accordingly. Tomorrow (Saturday) sees our first private tour of the season when we welcome a group of German tourists to the Island who have charted our mini-coach to take them round the Island. They have asked particularly to visit Shanklin Old Village, Blackgang view point, Alum Bay and Yarmouth. Obviously we will be taking them along the Military Road to show them the spectacular scenery that the Island has to offer. Hopefully the weather will be kind to the group and that they will go away with a great impression of the Island! Give us a wave and a toot if you see us tomorrow! Island Explorer are pleased to be asked again to provide transport for the participants of this year's 24 hour challenge by the organisers; Action Challenge. This years event will be held on the 2nd and 3rd of May and we will be providing an overnight shuttle service between Chale Recreation Ground (the half way point) and Northwood House (the start/finish point). Full details of the event can be found here as well as how to take part. |