$607,000 Allocated To 38 Tourism Experiences

February 8, 2016

The Bermuda Tourism Authority [BTA] said they “will financially support new culinary, heritage and water sport activities for visitors as part of its 2016 Tourism Experiences investment process” and “favourites like the Bermuda Fly-fishing Invitational, Bermuda Yoga Festival and Bermuda Heroes’ Weekend are being renewed for funding.”

“About $607,000 will be allocated to 38 tourism experiences, approved in the latest investment process. They are set to receive monetary or marketing support from the BTA. Sixty-two percent of the applications received were approved for BTA support,” the BTA said.

“Each time we do this the percentage of successful applicants inches upward, which is an indication that applicants are coming to us properly aligned with the overall BTA strategy and the National Tourism Plan,” said Pat Phillip-Fairn, the BTA’s chief product and experiences development officer.

“Some of the new experiences on the list are already underway and we’re very pleased with the initial feedback.”

The BTA said, “Among the new experiences is an intimate dinner theatre performance at Verdmont, the centuries-old Bermuda National Trust property. The show features an actor’s portrayal of Mark Twain in Reminiscences and Other Lies.

“After seeing the performance Premier Michael Dunkley told his social media followers the show is “a can’t miss”.

“Adventure-seekers will be attracted to a new water sport experience from Kinezumi Water Sports scheduled to launch this summer. Entrepreneur Antwan Albuoy attended multiple BTA lunch and learn sessions in 2015 where he re-strategized his original idea and made it more appealing to thrill seekers.

“Our original idea was land based, but from the lunch and learn sessions we learned visitors wanted more of a thrill from their water sport activities,” said Mr. Albuoy.

“This summer we plan to introduce the hydro-powered Jetovator, among other water-based products, which will bring plenty of excitement for thrill-seeking visitors.”

For 2016 there are 14 new experiences. Among the returning activities and events ten are in the Arts & Culture category and 14 in the Sports Tourism category.

“Last year, Bermuda Heroes’ Weekend got off the ground spectacularly with the help of the Tourism Experiences investment process and it is returning in 2016 with its sights set on outdoing the inaugural year. BHW Ltd. representatives are in Trinidad this week to promote Bermuda Carnival to revellers there,” the BTA added.

Jason Sudeko of BHW said: “The carnival-chaser is a new visitor market for Bermuda. We saw the potential and went after it, but we remained true to the BTA strategy of being unique and authentic. That’s where the raft-up part of Bermuda Carnival came from.

“For June 2016 we already have tour operators and travel agents who want to package the experience which is an important new element for attracting carnival-chasers.”

The BTA added, “Since April 2014, the BTA has allocated about $2.3 million to home-grown ideas that help revive the island’s collection of visitor experiences.

“The BTA opens the application process to the public with a series of free lunch and learn sessions to share consumer research and offer advice from tourism industry entrepreneurs.”

The BTA’s list of successful applicants is below [PDF here]:

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Comments (15)

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  1. jrsmith says:

    how many schools must close so that we can fund this?

    • hmmm says:

      None…schools to close because there is a lack of need for them. not enough kids in multiple schools.

    • Onion juice says:

      In other words F!@# the senior citizens and F!@# education, in the animal kingdom the most vulnerable that are preyed on are the young,feeble and the injured.
      And these Hyenas are hungry.
      F!@#ing PATHETIC

      • jrsmith says:

        yup thats how they roll, I can understand the austerity measures that we are seeing now, but why mess with the innocent? the youth never asked for this neither did our elders, show them the respect that they deserve….

        • Build a Better Bermuda says:

          So it’s the OBA initiatives don’t support local and are all about foreigners, now it’s complaints that and OBA initiative is supporting local entrepenuers and it they obviously don’t care about our seniors and children… never mind that these initiatives are being done with the smallest tourism budget in years as it is not only education and social services that got cut. All budgets have been cut as the government continue to take measures to get us off the path to being owned by foreign creditors that the last administration set us on. Seriously, what do you want… the PLP policy to spend and borrow, until we can’t borrow anymore and are owned by the IMF. The OBA could do that, fund lots of great social program with money we don’t have, give everyone what they want; but they are smarter than that, they know that eventually creditors expect to be paid back and paying creditors with more credit is just plain garbage financial planning, and eventually you run out of creditors willing to give you money. So again, what is it you want…

          • hmmm says:

            These fools bitch and whine at everything. The schools don’t have enough intake to be viable.

            If we had pots of gold then we could throw money on them.
            If we had the numbers of kids then we would have no reason to close them.

            The PLP made sure we don’t have either..Direct your angst appropriately at the PLP.

      • Come Correct says:

        In other words you will never be happy with anything done by anyone but the plp…I’ll post this again for everyone…

        Photos: Prayer Vigil Taking Place On Marriage

        Onion Juice says:

        February 8, 2016

        The lack of diversity shows what segment that endorses this NASTY unnatural act.

        Keeping pace says:

        February 8, 2016

        It is really disheartening to read such hateful posts. We are your sisters, brothers, mothers, school friends, employers and co-workers. Have some respect. I again challenge you to bring constructive arguments to the table and stop with all this hate speech against the body of Christ. It sincerely detracts from your cause.

        There is only on similarity in these two comments, the avatar to the right of the name. This only does one thing and that proves you’re a deceitful human being deliberately but not successfully trying to mislead the people of this island. Time to switch it up again Madumbo.

        • hmmm says:

          OJ is a persona, especially design to inflame. Obvious really. In time it will come out who is responsible and their motives.

    • Triangle Drifter says:

      Nothing to do with schools but just a little simple math will show that this grant money is about the same as what Government spends on 27 students for 1 year.

      Some of these startup businesses are going to fail real fast. Some will struggle for a year or so then pack it in. Some will succeed.

      What they will all do is pay taxes to Government such as import duty on equipment, payroll tax & taxes on fuel.

      Government will get at the very least, some of that grant money back.

  2. somuchless says:

    I’d like to hear updates from last years winners and how they’re doing. I remember reading about one particular business (in 2015) that received funding and I have yet to
    see them in operation. So if they never started, what happened the funds?

  3. bluebird says:

    And Tourism brings in 15% of our income.
    and IB brings in 85% of our income.
    As the minister of Finance “SAID” Money does not grow on TREES.
    We have to earn it,which might be very strange to some of you who live off the Government as we are Borrowing $220 MILLION DOLLARS per year to pay you.
    We are going to have to “CUT” many things to balance the Budget (ONE DAY) and that’s when you can really complain.

    • Vortex says:

      I agree, surely all of these have to stand on their own two feet? I they make a fortune, is that money given back? Clearly not.

      And if an insurer goes belly up with lots of Bermudian job losses does the Govt bail them out? Of course not – and yet that is the income that keeps the wheels turning in Bermuda.

  4. mixitup says:

    This is actually one thing that I do agree the BTA are doing the right thing… I see the seeds being planted for a different Bermuda experience, that is not all sand and sea, more authentic… If the BTA have done anything right this is it…This would attract ppl/back.

  5. Salty 20YO says:

    Seems like Bermuda is just getting better for internationals rather locals…

    I hear my grandmother talking all the time about how she’s worked her whole life and now she can’t even get a proper pension. I’m scared to see what will be in the next 10 years here in Bermuda.

  6. hotcrossbuns says:

    Great investment in Bermudians. Glad to see that someone believes in investing in our future. The haters just keep on hating!