Bermuda has downplayed its links with Britain to the detriment of our tourism industry.
That's the verdict of Opposition leader Kim Swan after a week that saw thousands line the streets to catch a glimpse of the Queen.
With the world watching, crowds flocked to greet the royal party at a host of events around the island.
Mr. Swan believes the warm welcome was an affirmation of Bermuda's special relationship with Britain and a kick in the teeth for the independence movement.
He said the time has come to celebrate and exploit the island's connection with Britain, which he thinks could be a powerful marketing tool in the battle for tourism dollars.
Premier Dr. Ewart Brown, in his address at Tucker's Point on Wednesday, eloquently described Bermuda as a 'small slice of Britain'.
But that is not a slogan, Mr. Swan says, that you will ever see in any tourism promotion.
"There has been a conscious effort to downplay our British heritage. It is an integral part of our history and something that separates us from other countries.
"We need to celebrate it more," he added.
He said the quest for new and different marketing initiatives had been to the neglect of the British link.
"We have to think outside the box, sure, but we can't just forget about what's in the box."
Director of Tourism William Griffith insists that Bermuda's heritage and British links are often highlighted in PR campaigns
And Premier Dr Brown argues that his pro-independence stance hasn't prevented him from playing up Bermuda's links with the U.K.
He said: "Americans seem to have an attraction to all things British and that can't hurt us in terms of the number of visitors that come from the U.S..
"The past is the past and the future is to come. No matter how long Bermuda is around we will always reflect that historical relationship."
But Mr Swan believes much more could be done to exploit Bermuda's connection with Britain.
He said the reception the Queen had received, from all races, had shown how proud Bermudians were of their connection with the monarchy.
And he believes the same level of pride should be reflected in the island's tourism product.
"We are sitting on so much history, we need to find ways to bring it to life and bring people here to see it.
"This week has shown that there are a lot of closet royalists out there. It was like May 24th for two days."
He said Bermuda should explore the possibility of more royal visits and look into using the marching bands and the regiment more regularly to entertain tourists.
"People love those military traditions," he added.
PLP senator Thaao Dill questioned the logic of the argument.
He said Bermuda might be better served celebrating its own strengths.
"I don't know if there is any data to suggest that tourists are motivated by those things. You don't see too many other colonies doing it.
"They show off the things that make them them, not the things that make them pseudo British."
The radio DJ believes he is among a minority who were not caught up in the royal visit.
And he thinks it would be wrong to read too much significance into the level of enthusiasm shown on the streets.
"We are small town folks, when somebody really famous comes to town we want to see them and wave."
But he believes Bermudians would be better served by establishing and promoting their own traditions.
"I'm not trying to make people feel bad about something they clearly enjoy but I would just question why? Why is this more relevant to you than supporting the Gombey festival, or attending Chewstick or going along to our own opening of parliament?"
Posted: Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Comment by:
Logic76
Well, "Bermudian 2" is obviously a well educated, contributing member of society.
Posted: Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Comment by:
Ronald J Alves
As a Bermudian living abroad,I would like to mention that I followed The Queens visit on the video and newspaper.I had a great feeling about her visit,as a young boy I remembered her visit in the 50s,also I was in the Army,that had the Royal visit in the mid 60s.
PLPs Senator Thaao Dill,down-playing the Royal visit shows disrespect,and much more.
He either doesn't know,or he doesn't want to know the rich History of Bermuda,when we grasp unto it,British and Bermudian History of the Colony,we cant have one without the other!!We will have a pride about our country.
Yes Thaao,Bermuda serves it strength's every day,and that is fine,but we still have to remember the British side of our History.
And yes a lot of tourist want the old Bermudian and British way,just one tiny example,entertainment in the hotels.
Finally,Thaao I think its disgusting that you as a Senator,could not show full support for the Royal Visit,you are part of the big problem that is hurting Bermuda.
Let God arise and rule.
Posted: Sunday, November 29, 2009
Comment by:
Derek Jones
As a Bermudian living in Boston I can definitely vouch for the fact that Americans are smitten with the royal family and her Majesty in particular. Any efforts to garner their attention through our direct connection with Britain will go a long way in making Bermuda an attractive destination and differentiate our island from other travel sites. I would imagine Senator Dill's views are in part due to the fact that he follows a party line however we should celebrate and show off our own local traditions but not taking full advantage of playing to the international stage by using the Queen is just cutting our own noses off. We need tourists.
Posted: Sunday, November 29, 2009
Comment by:
Logic76
Tourism is dead on the island! International Business is the only thing keeping Bermuda afloat. The fact of the matter is that in the islands hay day the targeted market was the rich living on the east coast, specifically New England. At the time such people would pay for the two hour flight and hotel stay, it was like a piece of England was in their backyard. Today there are two problems, first of all the U.S. economy is still rebounding from the recession and secondly, Americans aren't looking for the type of vacation Bermuda has to offer. Look at the island now, there is nothing to do from a tourism standpoint. Places such as the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, and Barbados offer huge all-inclusive resort hotels with water parks, dolphin encounters, aquariums etc. Sure these islands have a high poverty rate and high crime rate but if you're inside the resort walls it doesn't matter. This is why none of the new hotels that have been planned can find investors!
Posted: Saturday, November 28, 2009
Comment by:
Guilden Gilbert
Before anyone decides to go off on some wild tangent regarding my comments previously on my suport for Independence, let me say again as I have said in the recent past: While I do indeed support Independence for Bermuda I also recognise and respect what the British (by extension EU Citizenship) Citizenship means to our younger generation regarding schooling and work opportunities. This is why I have made a personal decision to not be vocal of my support of an Independent Bermuda because quite frankly I do not see it as my place to fight to take these opportunities away.
Guilden M. Gilbert, Jr.
Posted: Saturday, November 28, 2009
Comment by:
Guilden Gilbert
Isn't it funny how the Opposition seems to come up with ideas when they are the low hanging fruit? Why is it that only since the Queen's visit Kim Swan wants Bermuda to market its British Heritage? Neither he nor his fellow UBP MPs have raised this before. Even when the UBP was in Government it did not use our heritage as a tourism marketing tools, especially in the latter years of it serving as Government. He and the UBP continue to show how desperate they are (1) for attention an (2) to try to find a way to bail the ship (UBP) that has already sunk.
While I have always been a proponent of Independence for Bermuda I also recogninse the British influence. Further, just because I have always favoured Independence does not mean I dislike or wish to disrespect the Queen, probably like many other Bermudians. So I think Kim Swan is incorrect when he equates the affection shown by the Queen as a kick in the teeth for the Independence movement. He also should remember that most former British Colonies are still members of the Commonwealth. If the Queen visits this former territories she would more than likely receive the same treatment. Maybe Mr. Swan is unaware that many years after the Bahamas Independence celebration the Queen had a Government low-cost residential development after her (Elizabeth Estates), also the Bahamas has a Governor General who respresents the Queen, the Bahamas has the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and Her Majesty's Prison. So his point is a mute one.
Kim and his UBP need to recognise that they are devoid of ideas and are becoming less and less viable as political force in Bermuda.
Guilden M. Gilbert, Jr.
Posted: Saturday, November 28, 2009
Comment by:
CB
Thaoo's 15 minutes will be up when the Puppetmaster exits Bermuda permanently in about a years time. Anyone who doesn't think our British connection is valuable is either a total idiot, or is speaking as his strings are being pulled from behind.
Americans love history - after all, they don't have much of their own.
Posted: Saturday, November 28, 2009
Comment by:
bermudian 2
black bermudians are so duped that they dont even know that it is embarassing internationally to think you are related to the queen in some affectionate manner. YOU ARE CONQUERED! Of course white people feel good. the queen represents their conquest. they are salavataing and ejaculating because it means that all of our counter-racist efforts have not effected much change in the minds of weak black bermudians. they still have us. this is ubsurd. We should not be so happy about the queen though we should be respectful. she represents cruel past of injustice. NO good thing has come from britain to us. WE have had to fight for psychological emancipation by our selves. so thaoo is correct we need to respect our heritage of resistance. that is why the gombey dancers were significant to be given to the queen of england. we are resisiting white supremacy. That spirit of resistance is what make s jamaica and the others spicy...bermuda is like retarded child afraid of being an adult....WE can be bermuda and that should attract visitors. If we do market the british thing let us market it from the perspective of blacks who overcame it and not colonial subjects who eagerly wave flags and dont know the history of resistance.
Posted: Friday, November 27, 2009
Comment by:
Doug Shirley
I spent 18 years in the hospitality industry spending hours at a time actually talking to our visitors. These were visitors that Bermuda used to get, the ones who flew in & stayed in top end accomodations.
I can't count the times that people said they loved Bermuda for the 'Britishness' of the place or how many times I was asked how often the Royal family visits the Island.
I am no Royal or big British fan (never made an effort to see the Queen) but I do acknowledge our British heritage. Like it or not the British got here first & colonized the place.
If our customers like things Royal & British then everything possible should be done to promote that Beruda link.
Comments such as those expressed by Thao Dill show just how far out of contact some people are from our rapidly dwindling customer base, the ones who used to fill wide body jets every day arriving at our airport.
Posted: Friday, November 27, 2009
Comment by:
letariatpro
I think Thaao is selling the Bermudian people short by insinuating we lack sophistication enough to be any more than country bumpkins waving at a celebrity.
If Thaao could get past his magniloquence and realise that this is a part of our heritage. As important as it is for blacks to reunite with their history and roots, the British Monarchy is an important part of Bermudian Black history and culture. He would see that supporting the Gombey festival is not much different as the Gombeys are not indigenous to Bermuda and are made up of a combination of other foreign cultures combining. Discovering the roots there of would be equivalent to researching British history because they are the ones who settled the island and we would not be here at all otherwise. For the anti-monarchists out there, if you could see past your personal predilections and see the modern Royalty for what they are, a mobile or traveling museum of history, like the Louvre on wheels. They are interesting and carry a legacy with them that spans centuries. They are interesting and as with most things in life you need to know where you came from to know where you are going and you also need to study history to learn from the mistakes in the past so as not to be doomed to repeat them in the future. Grow up Thaao.
