FinMin Cox has announced that exempt companies could be allowed to buy hospitality units on hotel properties for use as residential units. The developers are celebrating, but is this a good “sustainable” idea for Bermuda? In my opinion, it’s totally schizophrenic. Just think: The PLP has been bullying Bermudians with foreign spouses saying Government needed [...]
Entries Tagged as 'Tourism'
The Premier Diversion
July 5th, 2010 · No Comments · Tourism
The Premier alleges that advertising firm GlobalHue was only criticised because it’s owned by a black man. I won’t waste too many words on his obvious cynical diversion. The criticism is not directed towards GlobalHue as much as it is directed towards the Minister of Tourism, aka The Premier. The GlobalHue deals have come under [...]
Tags:
What’s Old is New
June 4th, 2010 · No Comments · Tourism
We’ve tried to feel the love. We’ve tried to pop and sizzle. Now with a sense of wonderment, the Department of Tourism has hit on a new idea: In a statement today, Director of Tourism William Griffith emphasised the new strategy highlights one of Bermuda’s strongest selling points – paradise in under two hours. “The [...]
Tags:
Ship Ahoy
April 27th, 2010 · No Comments · Tourism
The Veendam is in Hamilton for the first of 24 scheduled visits this year. For the first time in ages, Hamilton seems alive and the stores are busy. All morning there have been locals standing on Front Street, just looking happily up at the ship. While I understand it may be difficult to attract smaller [...]
Tags:
Time for a New Tagline
April 15th, 2010 · No Comments · Bermuda Politics, Tourism
Dr. Brown’s signature tagline for Bermuda Tourism is “Feel the Love”. Oh dear. That “comfy shoe” company Crocs has also adopted the schmalzy line. Like Bermuda tourism, Crocs have been losing money for years, and people either love ‘em or think they are so uncool. However the shoes, unlike our Government, are odor resistant. UPDATE: [...]
Tags:
Too Much Concrete
March 16th, 2010 · No Comments · Development, Tourism
The Southlands saga takes another step as the Southlands team makes its presentation to Cabinet today. I don’t buy the official explanation that there was “too much concrete” in the proposal to explain Government’s foot dragging. I do think we need to plan Morgan’s Point carefully – but I don’t think that’s what’s going on [...]
Tags:Grand Atlantic·SDO
Think Pink
March 10th, 2010 · No Comments · Tourism
The Bermuda Department of Tourism will sponsor pink taxicabs in the City of London sporting Bermuda shorts and Dr. Brown’s “feel the love” tagline. Here’s another idea. All Bermudian politicians and civil servants travelling on taxpayer dollars should wear pink Bermuda shorts with knee socks to all meetings, meals, and public events during their trip. [...]
Tags:
Gambling
March 5th, 2010 · No Comments · Tourism
So, the high stakes Dr. Brown’s casino consultants have coughed up their Bermuda Gaming Green Paper that says … surprise … that Bermuda should allow casinos. They do at least have the common sense to downplay lotteries and online gaming. The consultants report weighs the scenarios of one big casino in town, or one in [...]
Tags:Casino
Crash Landing
February 11th, 2010 · No Comments · Tourism
Air arrivals to Bermuda in 2009 were roughly 236,000 (down 11% from the year before). They are down from around 400,000 in 1998. 2009 average hotel occupancy slumped to 51% despite the long list of guest properties that have disappeared since 1998. October was the best performing month of the year with 22,000 arrivals, a [...]
Tags:
Love Fest
February 10th, 2010 · 1 Comment · Tourism
The Premier’s annual celebrity-stalking Love Festival is this week. Like many people, I believe this event does not represent value for money for the ailing tourism sector. In my opinion, it seems more like a personal boondoggle than a business promotion. Press releases like this seem to reaffirm that opinion. Chattanooga Chef to Cook For [...]
Tags:Boondoggle