Tourism staff updated on Tourism Authority

Chairman of the Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) David Dodwell, Permanent Secretary Francis Richardson and Bermuda Department of Tourism (BDOT) Director Billy Griffith today met with staff of the BDOT to update them on the new structure of the Bermuda Tourism Authority. New York-based staff were presented to simultaneously via video conference.

The new enterprise will be led by a Chief Executive Officer and will consist of four divisions:

• Tourism Investment;

• Product & Experience;

• Sales & Marketing:

• Corporate Support Functions.

New Tourism Authority functions and services, identified by a governance model research undertaken by the Authority such as investment and funding, product and attraction development, tourism research, tourism education and training as well as niche marketing and management, will be included within the divisions. These will be added to functions that were undertaken by the BDOT in the past, such as branding and sales and marketing. There will also be a research and business intelligence unit. These new roles reflect the priorities of the National Tourism Plan.

Staff were also introduced to the new vision and culture of the BTA, which will be dynamic, vibrant and effective. The organisation will embrace innovation and creativity and value the entrepreneurial spirit. The Tourism Authority will encourage open communication and collaboration and will be results-oriented, accountable and transparent to its stakeholders. The BTA will empower its people to be customer focused, proactive, solution-oriented and make decisions that are in the best interest of Bermuda as a tourism destination.

Chairman of the Bermuda Tourism Authority, David Dodwell, says: “The new Tourism Authority will develop core and complementary product and service offerings to increase the overall attractiveness and competitiveness of Bermuda as a tourism destination to strengthen tourism demand and reduce seasonality. Our goal is also to enhance investment in Bermuda’s tourism industry through improving the investment environment and managing the investor relations process. In line with the Bermuda Tourism Authority’s vision, we will be developing a staffing model that supports this activity and reflects a dynamic, entrepreneurial and vibrant organization.”

BDOT employees were also briefed on the process and opportunities for jobs within the Bermuda Tourism Authority. Once staff have met with Government’s HR Department and expressed an interest in working for the Tourism Authority, there will be an opportunity for them to apply for a position at the Authority for an exclusive period. These staff will be interviewed and considered. Positions not offered to BDOT staff will then be advertised to the public. As has already been communicated, the position of CEO is already under search and other senior executive positions may also be put out for search in the near future.