BTA: “Considerable Progress On Objectives”

Through the first five months of the year, the Bermuda Tourism Authority [BTA] said they are “making progress to meet the corporate objectives mentioned in Parliament Friday by Junior Tourism Minister Kenneth Bascome.”

The BTA said, “The BTA’s CEO is ultimately responsible for keeping all levels of the organisation focused on four primary objectives this year that, when achieved, will grow the island’s tourism economy.

• Increase leisure air arrivals year-over-year by at least 4 percent
• Increase total leisure visitor spending year-over-year by at least 5 percent
• Increase the number of cruise calls for Hamilton and St. George’s over 2016
• Increase by at least 4 percent year-over-year the number of room nights directly influenced by BTA sales and marketing efforts and BTA-supported visitor events

“Through the first part of the year, visitor arrival data and cruise industry negotiations show the BTA is “making considerable progress”:

• Leisure air arrivals year-over-year in Q1 were up 14 percent and continue to track on a positive pace, up 9 percent through May 31, 2016*
• Total leisure visitor spending year-over-year is up 4 percent through March 31, 2016 [the most recent data available]
• Number of cruise calls for Hamilton and St. George’s in 2017 are scheduled to increase over 2016 by 15 calls
• Room nights directly influenced by BTA sales and marketing efforts and BTA-supported events are up 45 percent year-to-date.”

“The high-volume summer travel season is still ahead of us so it’s definitely too early to draw year-end conclusions on this data,” said BTA Board Chairman David Dodwell.

“However, the Board can say confidently that the BTA is an organisation squarely focused on performance and is making considerable progress. On a monthly basis the team reviews its progress against the corporate objectives and I am convinced each member of the team knows and understands what’s expected of them.

“I trust that everyone in our community will support them in the pursuit of these goals because when they’re successful the entire country benefits.”

The four core corporate objectives shared in the House of Assembly last week must be met at the end of 2016 before the Board of Directors will consider triggering any performance incentive payments to members of the team. That decision will be made in the first half of 2017.

Mr Dodwell further noted: “The BTA has brought the Bermuda tourism economy back from the brink of disaster. Over the past 15 years, 25 percent of the island’s hotel capacity vanished, we had major declines in airlift and the loss of hundreds of Bermudian jobs.

“The BTA has arrested this steep decline by reversing many misdirected marketing and strategy mistakes from years past. These changes took time and excellent management.

“The Board of Directors has every confidence in the BTA staff’s performance. The leadership and the team has constructed a ‘built to last’ destination marketing organisation.

“They have played a defining role in attracting the 35th America’s Cup, they’ve directed efforts to improve airlift, they’ve led the repositioning of Bermuda’s brand, they have attracted a strong calendar of visitor events, they have inspired entrepreneurs to develop new product and experiences on island – all of this is assuring future visitation both for this year and into the future.”

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