Visit Isle of Man (‘the Agency’) has announced the appointment of Melanie Allen as Director of Marketing and Communications, a newly created role designed to elevate the Isle of Man’s visitor proposition aligned to the Island’s ten-year Visitor Economy Strategy.
Melanie joins the Agency with over 30 years’ experience in tourism, marketing and communications, with a proven track record for successful delivery of meaningful and measurable destination marketing and management programmes across Scotland. Twice named in Scotland’s Top 100 Influential Women in Tourism in 2020 and 2022, Melanie also owns a high-end sustainable tourism business in Scotland, which has won her numerous awards including: Tourism Individual of the Year, Best B&B Experience and Climate Action Award at the 2023 Scottish Thistle Awards.
The creation of this role aligns with Visit Isle of Man’s ten-year strategy, ‘Our Island, Our Future’, with Melanie’s mandate including the development and implementation of strategic marketing initiatives to drive visitor engagement, stimulate economic growth within the Island’s tourism and hospitality industry, and elevate destination awareness of the Isle of Man to a global stage.
As the previous Board Director and Interim CEO of South of Scotland Destination Alliance, previous Chair of the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere and Vice-Chair of the Scottish Community Tourism Network, Melanie’s extensive expertise will help to drive the Agency’s marketing efforts forwards, establishing the Isle of Man as a quality visitor destination.
Deborah Heather, CEO of Visit Isle of Man, commented:
‘We are excited to welcome Melanie to the team as our new Director of Marketing and Communications. Melanie’s wealth of industry knowledge and experience, combined with her extensive network and active involvement in advancing the tourism sector throughout the UK, will play a pivotal role in enhancing the Isle of Man’s presence in crucial markets.
‘As the first entire nation to be awarded UNESCO Biosphere status, Melanie’s dedication to sustainable and responsible practices are exactly what we need to create and implement innovative marketing strategies that not only attract visitors but also uphold our commitment to environmental and destination stewardship. We look forward to leveraging her insights to showcase the Isle of Man as an inviting and sustainable destination for visitors from the UK and beyond.’
Melanie Allen, Director of Marketing and Communications for Visit Isle of Man, added:
‘I am honoured to join the team at Visit Isle of Man and have the opportunity to contribute to the growth and success of this extraordinary destination. The Isle of Man has a unique charm, one that I’ve been fortunate to experience many times over the past twenty years whilst visiting my husband’s family here, and with the recent news of the Island’s visitor numbers bouncing back to above pre-pandemic levels last year, this is an exciting time to join the Agency.
‘The future for the Island’s tourism industry looks incredibly bright and I am looking forward to learning more about, and showcasing, the Island’s wonderful offering. Working closely with our local partners, we can extend the Island’s reach to a broader audience, inviting more visitors to discover its unparalleled history, culture, nature and much more.’
Following an extensive recruitment process, which attracted considerable interest from the Isle of Man and UK, Melanie’s appointment has resulted in her relocating to the Island with her husband, to join family.
