Letter: Our tourism focus is far too narrow

With regard to the new 122-bed Park Hyatt hotel, 70 Condos, four four-bedroom private homes, two tennis courts, golf course plus 160-room staff quarters.

Not too many restaurants  because they want to encourage guests to get out and about and they promise to include the local community and allow us to play golf and go on the beaches.

I was at a recent meeting held in St George’s and I voiced my concern that we are now on the verge of yet again another  high end, golf village for the elite, similar to Tucker’s Point.  

The only redeeming fact is that they say they are going to build the hotel first. Golf is a game for the affluent. Many Bermudians who love the game do not get to play now, because it is excruciatingly expensive. Telling people to pay the $2,000 a year membership fee is no consolation… if you can’t afford $280-plus per game, then when would you be able to save enough for the annual fee? Come on, just tell me you do not want me on the course. Even the big golfers have family that want to be doing something other than watching golf.

I know St. George’s is in need of a vibrant business model. I just feel we have committed ourselves to  262-year lease to a target group that really can afford to go anywhere in the world to play golf, but where will they go, here in Bermuda, once they come of the course and have a meal? Our product needs improving but I don’t think golf is the only answer.

Travel Talk says that Bermuda is not known for being family friendly and that we cater to couples and romance.  

How much of the tourist market are we denying ourselves if we keep going this route?  

We are surrounded by water yet our education system does not embrace teaching our youth at an early age about the nautical and marine life. Our biological station is used more by foreign students than our local students.

The Great Wolf type of development (www.greatwolf.com) offers opportunities to employ Bermudians.  It caters to a broader tourist market. There is a junior lifeguard programme — how awesome is that?

I really would like to hear why we keep trying to sell to one segment of the market when there is a much larger segment that we totally ignore.

RoseAnn C. Tucker, Hamilton