Vexed Bermoothes

Blustery Opinions From Bermuda

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Entries Tagged as 'Tourism'

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.
(Note: focus [...]

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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 town as [...]

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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 2% increase over [...]

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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 Bermuda’s First [...]

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Music Fleece-tival

December 9th, 2009 · 2 Comments · Bermuda Politics, Tourism

The media is reporting that the 2009 Bermuda Music Festival cost Government about $2 million to stage, and raised about $1 million in revenue.
Government claims the event attracted 383 tourists.  I think that’s being exceptionally generous.
It also sounds like all the costs are not in; the radio news is reporting that the Promoter has yet [...]

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The Doc-Yard

November 18th, 2009 · 1 Comment · Development, Tourism

Next time you go up to Dockyard, lie down on that big ole dock and give it a hug.  Why, you say?  Why should I kiss that wharf that’s bigger than Warwick?
Because at its $60 million pricetag, it cost every single Bermudian about $1,250 in long term debt.  You better kiss that dock ‘cuz it [...]

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Bermuda Music Festival

November 3rd, 2009 · Comments Off · Tourism

The Spin Doctor says “The Bermuda Music Festival is an event designed to entice visitors to our shores. The talent line-up for this year’s Bermuda Music Festival gave a spectacular performance, leaving the audience wanting more, while paying tribute to one of music’s living legends, Quincy Jones. This was a music festival to remember. ”
The [...]

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The Squeeze

October 21st, 2009 · Comments Off · Tourism

The Elbow Beach Hotel has just announced that it will close all but 98 of its 235 rooms, as well as halt all food service, for the foreseeable future.  This will result in 160 job losses.
The owners indicate that they will look at redeveloping the property in three to four years (so much for the [...]

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Hoping for Sun

October 19th, 2009 · Comments Off · Tourism

I don’t suppose we’ll ever know how much the PGA Grand Slam cost Bermudian tax payers, once you add up the $14 million upgrade to Port Royal, the sponsorship money, the consultants, the travel & entertainment …
Once you get behind the pop and sizzle, and look at it as investment … it is highly unlikely [...]

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Ouch

October 2nd, 2009 · Comments Off · Tourism

Talking about the grim prospects for an American corporate recovery, Reuters reports:
“I snuck away last week to Bermuda and the hotel was empty,” said one restructuring expert. “Absolutely empty.”

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