Motorcycle bookings for TT 2012 have seen a 10 per cent rise on the same time last year according to the latest ferry passenger figures released.

The news has been welcomed by the Department of Economic Development.

Increased ferry bookings are also reflected in the sale of seats in the main Glencrutchery Road grandstand with the department anticipating all seats being sold by Christmas. This would be the first time this has happened in the previous calendar year.

Five extra grandstand sites around the island have been proposed to help accommodate the extra demand.

A survey carried out in 2009 by the Manx treasury estimated every TT visitor contributed £620 to the Isle of Man’s economy.

Last week saw the DVD release of the film TT3D: Closer to the Edge. When it was released in the cinema in April, it spent weeks in the top ten and was one of the most successful box office documentaries of all time. It could boost interest in the TT.

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