New tourism venture: Sifting fact from fiction

Welcome to a weekly Q&A to keep you up-to-date on developments at the new Bermuda Tourism Authority.

What is the Bermuda Tourism Authority?

The Bermuda Tourism Authority is an independent, private, tourism enterprise that will be the singular voice that restores and evolves Bermuda as a world-class tourism destination. The Government determined that the management of tourism should be placed in the hands of an independent authority, with long term priorities and hence the Bermuda Tourism Authority was created to revitalise Bermuda’s tourism industry, stimulate the economy, create a welcoming environment for hospitality investment and create jobs for Bermudians.

What is the Bermuda Tourism Authority Act?

It’s the legislation that legally creates the Tourism Authority. It was tabled and passed in the House of Assembly in September 2013 and in the Senate on October 7, 2013. 

Is the Bermuda Tourism Authority a Government entity?

No, not at all. It is a private company that has been established specifically to keep politics out of tourism-related decisions.

How is the Bermuda Tourism Authority different from the Bermuda Department of Tourism?

The Bermuda Department of Tourism was a Government department and the Bermuda Tourism Authority is a private organisation that will be run independently by industry experts, which will depoliticise tourism for the island. There is no escaping the fact that it has been a challenging decade for the hospitality industry globally, but Bermuda has a great deal to offer visitors and to be proud of. We believe that a properly structured, research-based organisation will revitalise tourism in Bermuda.

What’s the difference between the Bermuda Tourism Board and the Bermuda Tourism Authority?

The Bermuda Tourism Board was created in 2012 under the former administration as a non-political organisation to direct Bermuda’s tourism product. In January 2013, under the new Government, David Dodwell was elected as chairman designate of the Tourism Authority and new chairman of the existing Tourism Board. The Tourism Authority is expected to be operational by April 2014, and in the meantime, a Project Management Office has been created to handle the transition. 

Source: Bermuda Tourism Authority