Tourist numbers were up last year - but overall visitor numbers fell.
And the number of business visitors slumped by 24.4 per cent.
Figures from the 2014 Isle of Man Passenger Survey show the number of holidaymakers staying in paid accommodation increased by 13 per cent during 2014 to 126,404.
Estimated total expenditure by visitors to the island during 2014 was £107.7m, and on average visitors spent £388 per visit.
Total scheduled passenger departures remained constant over the year, at 641,213 in 2014 compared to 641,219 in 2013.
Minister for Economic Development Laurence Skelly MHK said: ‘Leisure visitors are the primary focus of our marketing and promotional efforts so it is good to see this activity is paying off with such a positive increase in numbers.
Mr Skelly said tourism, as well as bringing in £100m, was important for the Manx wider economy.
He said: ‘If a place is attractive for people to visit, it’s attractive for people to invest. That’s why it’s important we work on regeneration. First impressions are lasting impressions.’
The Minister said that already this year a number of successful press visits, TV coverage and advertising campaigns we had already generated £1m of positive publicity for the island - and many more were scheduled for the year ahead.
Mr Skelly said the reasons for the drop in business numbers were unclear - but it was trend seen in other jurisdictions.
He said: ‘It represents a small percentage in terms of our overall visitor numbers.
‘Some of this reduction may have been caused by a drop in the number of short term contracting and construction jobs on the island, reflected in the significant drop in the number of work permits that the Department has issued in recent years.’
The Minister said advances in technology such as the use of video conferencing may also have contributed to the large drop-off in visitor numbers.
Mr Skelly said this market is a key focus for the tourism division’s 2015-16 promotion with plans already underway for PR and advertising campaigns.
