By Isle of Wight Observer
Red Funnel has been urged to act on rising ferry prices after a UK walking‑tour operator warned that escalating costs are directly reducing visitor numbers to the Isle of Wight.
In an open letter to the company, Graham Turnbull, director of Outdooraholics, said the price of bringing a car to the Island had become “a major barrier” for organised groups. His company previously ran up to four Isle of Wight weekends a year, with most participants travelling by car so they could reach hike start and end points. But on their most recent trip, only two people drove.
Mr Turnbull said walkers were now either choosing not to come at all or travelling without a vehicle, which makes many of the Island’s best routes inaccessible. Public transport, he said, was “not a workable alternative” for point‑to‑point hikes, as some trails are “extremely difficult, and in some cases effectively impossible” to reach by bus.
He warned that the impact goes beyond his own business, reducing spending with Island accommodation providers, such as YHA Totland, and limiting the number of trips Outdooraholics can justify running.
Asking Red Funnel whether group travel or repeat‑operator pricing could be introduced to make car travel viable again, or whether any special offers are planned, he offered to share booking data showing a clear shift away from car travel and a “significant drop in demand” as fares have risen.
He said ferry pricing was now “a major barrier to visiting the Island” and called for meaningful action to prevent further decline in visitor numbers.
He added: “We genuinely enjoy bringing groups to the Isle of Wight. It is one of the best weekend walking destinations in the South of England. We would like to keep running Island weekends. It just needs to be economically workable again for organised groups.”
Dominic Wray, new CEO at Visit Isle of Wight, said: “Since taking on this role we are now working more closely with cross-Solent travel operators to help businesses to pick the Isle of Wight as their first-choice destination.
“I’m pleased to announce an upcoming session which will enable Wight BID levy-payers to chat with operators and see how they can benefit from the variety of options the ferry companies offer businesses here on the Island.”
Red Funnel were contacted for a comment but did not respond.
Tilly Walder 
Mal Butler