Vexed Bermoothes

One of the biggest problems with Bermuda’s tourism marketing is that we seem to market to ourselves instead of to tourists.  The Department of Tourism is entirely politicised, which leads to equally poor decision making and execution.

• The shifting themes catch the heart of the Minister instead off resonating with Bermuda’s core group of tourists.  Like it or not, this means Bermuda’s marketing should be little more preppy and a little less sizzlin’.
• The desire to”cultivate new markets” is a fool’s game.  We don’t have that much money.
• The costly events attempt to inject international glamour but have no corresponding return on investment.
• There is constant fiddling with the statistics to hide just how bad things are.
• There is no plan, causing a rush to latch on to any opportunistic good news … with the corresponding disappointment when those dreams don’t come true.
• There is little accountability.  The whole setup rotates around the Minister – instead of around the needs of Bermuda’s hoteliers, activity providers, and most of all our visitors.

Contrast the terrible performance of the Department of Tourism with the continuing success of properties like The Reefs, Pink Beach, Cambridge Beaches and others who have stayed focussed on serving their markets instead of racing off on exciting and self-aggrandizing sideshows.