TOURIST numbers are on the rise and there could be scope for even more visitor accommodation, the new director of marketing and tourism has said.

This follows Swallow Apartments owner Mark Hesse, who was leasing some of his flats as residential accommodation, saying that there were not enough tourists to fill them.

Jason Moriarty (pictured) took over the directorship from Chris Elliott three weeks ago. He said he was unable to comment on individual cases, but felt overall the tourist accommodation sector was healthy.

‘If you look at occupancy rates between April and October, the key months were reaching 85% occupancy and in August it reached 90%,’ he said.

‘This reflects, in the main, that there is not a surplus of accommodation stock. In fact I believe there is the possibility for growth.’

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