Minister Discusses Today’s Budget Debate
The Budget presentation for the Ministry of Business Development and Tourism is set for today [Mar.2]. The total allocated funds for Current Account expenditure for the Ministry is $40.3 million dollars and Capital Expenditure of $313,000.
Minister of Business Development and Tourism Patrice Minors encouraged members of the public to tune in to the House of Assembly discussion to hear first hand how funds have been allocated for the next fiscal year.
Minister Minors said:
It is my hope to ensure that members of the public have clear, unfiltered information regarding all aspects of Bermuda tourism. And Wednesday’s debate will serve that purpose.
I have been concerned at the level of discourse in certain media reports relating to tourism since the tabling of the Budget. This has resulted in misinformation particularly as it relates to the BDOT’s overseas marketing efforts for this year.
So to avoid any further fabrications, I wish to reiterate that a formal open tender Request For Proposal (RFP) process for a full service advertising agency, which at this stage could have taken up to 12 weeks, would have challenged our summer season and placed our hotel industry at a disadvantage.
In order not to compromise our destination awareness presence in the marketplace, for 2011 summer season, a media buyer was selected to place existing ads for all television, radio and print media for an interim period until December 2011. Three media buyers were preselected on criteria that included their size, experience and the ability to carry on the BDOTs business in a relatively short period of time.
The selection of the recommended media buyer was made by a panel of seven that included senior civil servants, tourism board members and Bermuda Hotel Association partners.
The decision to use an interim media buyer effectively saves an agency fee of approximately $1.6 million that would normally be paid to most full service agencies. It should be clearly pointed out that the ‘media buy’ contract will allow the buyer to use the budgeted funds for this period to purchase advertising whether on television, radio or print. The media buyer will receive a negotiated commission on all media placed by them on behalf of the department.
I’m seeing ads in the morning on NBC 4 so i guess its working. I hope we see results in the summer, nowhere to go but up really. A year over year fall will be a disaster!
hear hear, I got warm and fuzzy inside over the weekend I must have seen at least 5 or 6 BDA vacation commercials. I can’t get over the wasted efforts of Global Hue but maybe it was a lesson learned for the good of the country. Now we should consider making the Dept of Tourism a team of only 6 managers and 1 Admin Assistant. Give the Tourism Authority more teeth financially, inject cash into promoting air/hotel packages, on island activities (bring back Hawkins Island Tony Brannon). Most of all cut the hotels more tax breaks in exchange for cutting their room rates and developing more activities on property. Most of all tell the Hotels to get off their lazy arses and help promote themselves.
The message is “hear’s the budget, and shove it”. The entire debate is a huge waste of time.
I’m sorry, but this sounds like business as USUAL. I challenge, support and encourage the Government to stop making exceptions the norm in Bermuda. Summer comes at the same time every year. It should not have been a shock or a rush to anyone this time around. Why weren’t provisions made many months ago to ensure that there was continuing planned promotion of the island at this time. Dr. Brown or Paula Cox….it’s all PLP Govt. Let’s start acting like it.
This is an unacceptable excuse for not using an open tender process. Change in government leaders is not an extenuating circumstance. We must demand better from our Government.
Bermudians are so easy to please. Ads on NBC only work if you saturate the market. We don’t have the money for that and never have devoted that kind of money to it. A few ads on NBC are for you to say you saw them and keep you quiet. Unless you go head to head with the marketing muscle of others who play in that arena it is a waste of money. TV is an all or nothing thing when luring people to travel or buy. Think about the ones we all know: Jamaica’s “One Love” campaign, “Its better inn the Bahamas”, Verizon’s “Can you hear me now?”. We recognise those not because we’ve seen them once but because they’re on all the time. Unless we’re going to devote the money required to play on tv and keep all you experts here at home happy, we shouldn’t even start.
Its a start stupid…….A START
Its a waste of money from a tourism perspective but politically its clearly worth it: its converted you.
And another thing, there’d better be an Auditor General lurking around this decision. No open tender process, a selection panel of unnamed people, a notional savings, Cabinet approval anywhere in this scenario? We’re watching Madame Auditor. Show us that its not just Dr. Brown that you were interested in.The fact that this is a perfectly sensible and rational course to adopt in tourism is irrelevant.
Shall we continue to dub it “Tourwasm”?
More like “De-Tourism.”
Given the Minister’s “hope to ensure that members of the public have clear, unfiltered information regarding all aspects of Bermuda tourism” can she at least disclose who was selected as the media buyer for this no-bid contract together with the rate of “negotiated commission”?
Good. we may be poles apart politically but at least you’re consistent. Good for you. ask dem questions of the squeaky clean administration……
ok.
so a few people see the advertisements……a couple come to the island, only to be bored out of their minds once it gets dark.
when they go back home…..what will they tell of Bermuda, with her beautiful pink sand and blue waters…crystal caves & lovely views. there is nothing to make you desire to stay long or come back. thats why most people come on a cruise.
really though….Bermuda doesn’t deserve to have a booming tourism industry at the moment. As we dont even dominate the industry. there are more international workers in Bermudas hospitality industry than any other caribbean nation.
when we had BDAliens in the industry…..there was an industry.