Tourism in the Isle of Man Tourism in the Isle of Man Tourism in the Isle of Man refers to the tourism industry of the Isle of Man, which has been an important element in the economy for over a century. In the early days visitors were mostly richer British families. Key for the development of the sector in the Victorian Era was the introduction of ferry connections with steamships between Liverpool and the Isle of Man, the Isle of Man Railway, and the Victoria Pier in Douglas. Later in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the island was the destination for working-class families, mainly from
Economy of the Isle of Man motorsports events, like the Isle of Man Car Rally and the more-prominent TT motorcycle races, contributes to the tourism economy. Tourism in the Isle of Man developed from advances in transport to the island. In 1819 the first steamship "Robert Bruce" came to the island, only seven years after the first steam vessel in the UK. In the 1820s, tourism was growing due to improved transport. The island government's own report for the financial years 2014/15-2015/16 shows tourist accommodation to be in the lowest sector at 0.3%, ranking slightly above 'mining and quarrying' (0.1%). Since 1999, the Isle of Man