Tourism Minister’s Industry Night Speech
Last night [Sept.8] Minister of Business Development & Tourism Patrice Minors addressed a group industry partners at the annual Department of Tourism’s Industry Night at the Fairmont Southampton.
She spoke about a number of tourism related issues, such as upcoming tourism promotions including the Bermuda Marathon Race Weekend, Restaurant Week, Feel the Love Month and College Weeks Reunion.
Minister Minors said, “Bermuda’s name was once synonymous with service, and somehow we lost sight of that over the years. As the financial industry grew here in Bermuda, it became more and more difficult to convince young people about the value of tourism and of having a service-first mentality.”
“I believe that is changing and if we are to succeed it will be through rebuilding our industry from the ground up starting with a motivated and caring young work force who will appreciate both the economic and social benefits to serving in the tourism industry.”
The Minister’s full statement follows below:
Thank you everyone and welcome once again to our annual Tourism Industry night. The narration of that video we just watched was our very own Voice of Bermuda – Mrs. Nelsalene Lespere, thank you Nelsalene for lending your wonderful voice to this video and our North American TV commercials that are currently in the market.
It is both an honour and a privilege to be with you all — our valued partners. You know, those of us who are involved in the political arena are sometimes prone to hyperbole.
But, my friends and colleagues, it is not an understatement to say, quite frankly, that the Bermuda tourism industry could not exist without your outstanding contributions and participation.
You work in an industry that is amongst the most important across the globe. Tourism is one of the world’s oldest and most powerful industries. It remains as one of the largest global employers and worldwide economic generators.
Here in Bermuda, it is no different – in fact tourism’s impact in Bermuda is even more pronounced as one of the twin pillars of our economy. Simply stated, your efforts help drive our country’s economy, help keep our citizens employed, and help keep food on the table for thousands of Bermudian families.
And yet, our industry serves an even greater purpose. Think about it for a moment. How many people can say they work in an industry that brings so much pleasure, relaxation and fulfillment to millions of people around the world?
Yes, we are truly blessed to work in the tourism industry and blessed to be located in one of the most beautiful and unique destinations in the world.
Yet, as we all know, it’s not enough to simply be a beautiful place. Being beautiful is not enough to make a successful destination. If that were the case, our shores would be positively overflowing with visitors, all eager to come and spend their money here in Bermuda.
No my friends, beauty is not enough. It takes much more.
It takes a commitment to outstanding service – the kind that people go back home and tell their friends about.
It takes facilities that are of the highest standard to compete with the best the rest of the world has to offer.
It takes aggressive sales, marketing and communicationsefforts that help the destination stand out amongst its competitors and help spread the word.
This is what we as an industry must continue to strive to deliver, day in and day out as we work to regain the business that Bermuda has lost over the years.
And so we gather here this evening to share with you our efforts to sell and promote our destination. It is my hope that through events such as this, we will also encourage and find new opportunities to work together.
My friends, it is only by working together that we will succeed and I am happy to report that I see an improved spirit of cooperation and partnership in our industry. As with any successful partnership, success begins with communication.
We have seen a tangible improvement in the communication between our public and private sector. I am very proud of the effort our team at the Department of Tourism has made to share its work and direction with our industry partners.
One of the ways they have done this is through the introduction of a regularly published newsletter that provides comprehensive details highlighting sales and marketing activities, including advertising, web and public relations efforts.
It is our hope that our partners will not only see the fruits of our — and their own — labours, but will also be inspired to participate to a greater level and take advantage of every opportunity presented.
One of those opportunities which we believe is effective is the Tourism Fund. This fund was created in conjunction with 17 of our partner hotels and our government is committed to assist inthe financing of this effort.
As I have noted previously, I believe that the partnership with the Bermuda Alliance for Tourism is important to the island’s current and future success. If nothing else, it gives our island’s smaller hotels the chance to have a voice in the direction that our tourism industry is taking.
Having a voice and being heard is something everyone can appreciate. It is something that each and every one of us can exercise as ambassadors for the island. It is my belief that we are all accountable for tourism’s success.
At the end of the day, all the beautiful beaches, crystal clear waters, luxurious hotels, spas, golf courses, restaurants and more are meaningless if visitors do not have a good experience interacting with our citizens.
That’s why I feel the work that is being done at the Bermuda Hospitality Institute is so vital to the success of our industry.
Bermuda’s name was once synonymous with service, and somehow we lost sight of that over the years. As the financial industry grew here in Bermuda, it became more and more difficult to convince young people about the value of tourism and of having a service-first mentality.
I believe that is changing and if we are to succeed it will be through rebuilding our industry from the ground up starting with a motivated and caring young work force who will appreciate both the economic and social benefits to serving in the tourism industry.
In my mind there is nothing more important or more noble in this life than to genuinely love and serve others. That is why I am particularly pleased to acknowledge at this time those 17 industry partners who recently served as ambassadors for the island’s tourism industry to millions of CBS radio listeners across North America.
Through our promotional partnership with CBS, we had the privilege of hosting personalities from some of America’s top radio stations.
These personalities shared with their listeners not only their own Bermuda experiences, but also shared the perspectives of our ambassadors that so capably represented the island by agreeing to be interviewed for this large audience.
They all did a wonderful job and it is my pleasure to introduce them to you tonight.
Those here with us include: Mr. Tom Butterfield, Mr. Raymond Ming, Mr. Nadanja Bailey, The Hon. Randolph Horton, Mrs. Muriel Richardson, Mrs. Isabelle Brackstone, Ms. Karla Lacey, The Hon. David Dodwell, The Hon. Maxwell Burgess, Mr. Carvel Van Putten, Mr. E. Michael Jones, Mr. Clyde Darrell, Mr. Glenn Jones, Mr. Richard Quinn and Mr. Larry Rogers.
I would also like to thank our hard working Senior and Junior Visitor Information Ambassadors, along with our Visitor Information Centre teams in the Town of St. George, City of Hamilton and the Royal Naval Dockyard, as well as our Summer interns, you all have been a tremendous asset to our visitors in distributing transportation information and guiding our visitors on what to see and do during their time on our lovely island.
Please join me in a round of applause for these Bermuda ambassadors!
The spirit of partnership and service is, I am happy to say, leading to results.
Bermuda’s business held steady this summer, even while some competitive islands in the Caribbean saw business decrease in the face of the continued struggles and uncertainty of the global economy.
Our summer numbers were helped by strong group business and this is an area upon which we will continue to build. Bermuda’s proximity to major U.S. cities, as well as our strong infrastructure, and amenities such as golf, make our destination particularly desirable for the group and incentive market.
We also saw the launch of new seasonal air service from Atlanta and Baltimore through AirTran Airways and it is our hope that we can build on this first season partnership upon its completion in October and help it to eventually become a year-round offering.
We will continue to seek new partners, either in working with the Ministry of Transport to attract new airlines, or working within our own ministry to help attract and develop news hotels.
Upcoming next year, on the heels of the Bermuda Marathon Race Weekend and Regional Bridge, The Department is looking to develop a Restaurant Week from January 16th to 23rd and also expanding on the festivities of the successful Feel the Love Month from January 23rd to March 3rd.
College Weeks Reunion is confirmed for March 15 – 18, 2012, targeting a mature audience who remember the good old days back in the 60’s and 70’s and who would enjoy a visit back to Bermuda and a reunion with old friends.
In partnership with the Bermuda Hotel Association and the Bermuda Alliance for Tourism, this programe goes to market on October 1st and event passes will also be sold locally.
My friends, we will leave no stone unturned in helping Bermuda to succeed as an attractive destination and I am asking for your continued support and assistance to make this a reality.
As I said earlier, we can’t do it without you, nor would we want to. We as an industry must come together as one and work even harder to remove those obstacles that stand in the way of our success.
Tonight is a good step in that direction and I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to engage our partners and representatives who are here with us today.
Let us know how we can best serve you and how we can work together for our mutual success.
Above everything else, I want to thank you. On behalf of the Ministry of Business Development and Tourism , the Department of Tourism and all of our partners, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to be here and thank you for your excellent efforts.
Please know that these efforts are greatly appreciated! Thank You.
“we will leave no stone unturned in helping Bermuda to succeed as an attractive destination and I am asking for your continued support and assistance to make this a reality.”
If they were serious about that statement they would seriously consider having a referendum on legalisation of cannabis.
Time to implement coffee shops and give tourists and locals what they want.
Senator Marc Bean made a statement in February of this year saying some of the “more “controversial” of the ideas was to look at establishing coffee shops like those available in Amsterdam for tourists who want to enjoy marijuana as part of their visitor “experience””
What ever happened with that?
Like it or not tourists want to come to Bermuda have fun and not be prosecuted and persecuted for having a smoke. Senator Marc Bean said: “people paid for their cruise ticket and part of the “experience”, outside of shows and drinking, was to enjoy some marijuana.
Mr Bean said putting these people before the courts and slapping them with a hefty fine only meant that they would forgo Bermuda, in favour of destinations with more relaxed views on smoking.”
Alcohol is way worse for you and actively kills people and destroys families and relationships every year. The same can’t be said for cannabis.
Alcohol is a drug. Cannabis is a natural plant that grows from the ground. There are hundreds of alcohol overdose deaths each year, yet there has never been a marijuana overdose death in history. The consumption of alcohol is also the direct cause of tens of thousands of deaths in the U.S. each year.
In 2001, there were 331 alcohol overdose deaths and 0 marijuana overdose deaths. Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Source: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5337a2.htm
Excessive alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States and is associated with multiple adverse health consequences, including liver cirrhosis, various cancers, unintentional injuries, and violence.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control reported 20,687 “alcohol-induced deaths” (excluding accidents and homicides) in 2003. Source: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/alcohol.htm
The CDC has no reports of “marijuana-induced deaths.”
There is little evidence, however, that long-term cannabis use causes permanent cognitive impairment, nor is there is any clear cause and effect relationship to explain the psychosocial associations.
The latest and most comprehensive research on marijuana has concluded that it does not contribute to the development of lung cancer. Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/25/AR200605…
There has never been a documented case of lung cancer in a marijuana-only smoker, and recent studies find that marijuana use is not associated with any type of cancer. The same cannot be said for alcohol, which has been found to contribute to a variety of long-term negative health effects, including cancers and cirrhosis of the liver.
Alcohol use contributes to aggressive behavior and acts of violence, whereas marijuana use reduces the likelihood of violent behavior.
Alcohol is clearly the drug with the most evidence to support a direct intoxication-violence relationship.
Cannabis reduces likelihood of violence during intoxication… Source: Hoaken, Peter N.S., Sherry H. Stewart. Journal of Addictive Behaviors. 28, pages 1533-1554. Drugs of abuse and the elicitation of human aggressive behavior. Dept. of Psychology, University of Western Ontario. Dept. of of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University.
Alcohol use is highly associated with violent crime, whereas marijuana use is not.
About 3 million violent crimes occur each year in which victims perceive the offender to have been drinking at the time of the offense.
Two-thirds of victims who suffered violence by an intimate (a current or former spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend) reported that alcohol had been a factor.
Among spouse victims, 3 out of 4 incidents were reported to have involved an offender who had been drinking. Source: U.S. Department of Justice. Bureau of Justice Statistics. National Crime Victimization Survey 2002.
Alcohol use contributes to the likelihood of domestic violence and sexual assault and marijuana use does not.
Of the psychoactive substances examined, among individuals who were chronic partner abusers, the use of alcohol and cocaine was associated with significant increases in the daily likelihood of male-to-female physical aggression; cannabis and opiates were not significantly associated with an increased likelihood of male partner violence.
…the odds of any male-to-female physical aggression were more than 8 times (11 times) higher on days when men drank than on days of no alcohol consumption. The odds of severe male-to-female physical aggression were more than 11 times (11 times) higher on days of men’s drinking than on days of no drinking. Moreover, in both samples, over 60% of all episodes occurred within 2 hours of drinking by the male partner. Source: Fals-Stewart , William, James Golden, Julie A. Schumacher. Journal of Addictive Behaviors. 28, pages 1555-1574. Intimate partner violence and substance use: A longitudinal day-to-day examination. Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, State University of New York
Alcohol use is prevalent in cases of sexual assault and date rape on college campuses, whereas marijuana use is not considered a contributing factor in cases of sexual assault and date rape.
A Harvard School of Public Heath study found that 72 percent of college rapes occurred when the female was too intoxicated by alcohol to resist/consent. Source: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/cas/Documents/rapeintox-pressRelease/
Comparisons between alcohol and marijuana with respect to sexual assault are very difficult. This is because it does not appear as if marijuana is a significant contributing factor. The best way to “prove” this is through observation that many organizations dedicated to studying and educating about sexual assault do not list marijuana as a substance associated with incidents. Here is a good example from the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network: http://www.rainn.org/types-of-assault/sexual-assault/drug-facilitated-as…
Note their description of alcohol: “Alcohol is the most commonly used chemical in drug facilitated sexual assault. In large part this is due to the fact that alcohol is easily accessible and a chemical that many people use in social interactions.” Given the fact that marijuana is also “easily accessible” and used widely in “social interactions,” it is quite telling that marijuana is not even listed at all on this “Drug Facilitated Assault” page.
Another example: A Web site sponsored by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services lists alcohol, but not marijuana, as putting a person at risk for unwanted or risky sexual activity: http://www.4woman.gov/faq/rohypnol.htm#5
Alcohol use contributes to reckless behavior and serious injuries, and it is highly associated with emergency room visits, whereas marijuana use does not contribute to such behavior and injuries, and is seldomly associated with emergency room visits.
“Cannabis differs from alcohol … in one major respect. It does not seem to increase risk-taking behavior. This means that cannabis rarely contributes to violence either to others or to oneself, whereas alcohol use is a major factor in deliberate self-harm, domestic accidents and violence.” Source: British Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, 2002.
Conclusion: Alcohol is very bad for you. Cannabis is not. Bermuda needs to wake up and start establishing coffee shops like those available in Amsterdam for tourists, and locals, who want to enjoy marijuana as part of their visitor, and Bermuda life, “experience””
The industry is not lucrative for Bermudians anymore or even dependable for a descent wage. With IB coming on our shores and no forward planning we inflated ourselves out of Tourism.
I hope the new tourism strategy works in cohesion with any new and all existing economic ventures.
I totally agree with you…the hospitality is no longer a dependable, affordable way to make a living on this island.
Nice speech. BTW – how is the Tourism Plan coming along?
The PLP need to implement an independent Tourism Authority…otherwize Bermuda’s tourism industry will continue to shrink. We have left the fate of the tourism industry in the hands of entitled amateurs…and it shows.
Dear Honourable Minister,
It is now high time for action as an election must be held before the next budget, my view on the date of the next election is based on the fact that the next budget must have bad news in it that will increase the burden for individuals like me and all companies based here.
Please take down the following action items and work dilligently on them over the next 4 months, try to resist the temptation to get side tracked by your Permanent Secretary and other Ministry Officials as after the election they will still be taking the trips with the new Minister. Stop taking trips and get some real work done here show your supporters that you are a hard working MP who does want to speak with them.
i) Find a team of 5 PLP supporters to work closely with you to win your seat wherever that may be C10, C2 or C4.
ii) In the next 100 days actually do something tangible in the Tourism portfolio no more pretty speeches just action anything even sponsoring a show called Wall Street Wives on their Vacation to Bermuda.
iii) Do not wait until next year to roll out a plan for the ailing Tourism industry so please release the strategy by end of October. Remember you are paying the consultant not the otherway round see. Ensure your plan creates a more diverse offering (Spring Break, Casino, Essence Music Fest, VH1 Country & Western Awards) your target is way too low you should be aiming for the 750,000+ arrivals mark to encourage adequate bed and new hotel investment.
Minister we know you are dynamic and the best person in the PLP ranks for these important deliverables of IB and Tourism so show the public that you are a leader and not timid as i am growing tired of listening to the constant criticism of your performance.
The Bermuda first report has sufficient macro to implement a micro strategy so why is this taking so long?
Yours faithfully
Voter
Best post yet.
LOL
Wow, I’ve read about her doing media interviewsd in New York, Atlanta, Baltimore, etc to promote the island. Isn’t that what she is supposed to be doing? Why do people criticize travel to our main markets to drum up exposure and business? If she wasn’t traveling people would complain that she wasn’t getting out and working for the island’s behalf. Guess that’s part of being a leader, people always point fingers and say not enough is being done, no matter if it actually is. She went to Atlanta to meet with CEOS and other potentila investors in the island and all I saw was criticism that she was on a boondoggle. Premier had it right, we have to stop being self haters and complainers abd start taking personal responsibility for our fortunes. And folks calling for a tourism authority, what do you think the Bermuda Alliance for Tourism is?
Dear Mr. Earle Monroe,
You are right on all the points you raise. The Elephant in the room however is that Minister Minors is not a people person, does not have the required charisma or personability to lead tis kind of charge, so her going on 25 more trips is quite frankly a waste of her talent as she is a good administrative manager that is her skill, she is not an enthusiastic Tourism Minister with the inate ability to enter a room, work the room and have everyone blown away saying, wow whos that lady and where can i book my next trip to Bermuda.
This is no secret, ask the Voters in Constituency 10 as they voted for her so she could get the job and she doesnt even acknowledge them so how she gonna go off di island and convince people to come around hurr???????
Earle, you are clearly part of the gravy train who dances for their supper and to keep perks you guys have to write positive spin on the blogs, print and run to show the MInister that you are great defenders, when this is all over and she resumes her previous career ask her what she feels she shold have done differently and look at the criticism aired on the blogs to see how many were valid.
Non Believer! But still a PLP Voter
“And folks calling for a tourism authority, what do you think the Bermuda Alliance for Tourism is?”
I have no idea, what does BAT do? What have they done? Not much.
Patrice,
………move from “looking to” and “we plan to”………..to “we have done x, y, z and created 10, 20, 100 jobs”
Also why you aint going to Paris with Walter and Binns on their Space trip? You could pick up some space tourists with your fellow Minister at the konfrence and buy a Gucci bag and shoes on Champs Elysees at the same time Gurl.
Spacetourist
She is just way to conservative to be the Minister of Tourism-
I just read the Honourable Minister’s speech online, it is inspirational and I hope our Island’s sad tourist industry can be resurrected. However, as she refers to “North America” I can only presume this includes Canada, but because she also spoke of America and mentioned a few U.S. airlines, it would have been generous of her to also acknowledge Canada, Air Canada, and Westjet. Westjet, although its main purpose probably is the advertisement of its Airline, constantly mentions Bermuda in its radio Ads. A radio station here in Toronto, 98.1 CHFI, took a large group to the Island earlier this Summer, for a week’s stay at Grotto Bay, and since returning, its hosts have spoken highly of “Beautiful Bermuda”. Also, the Station has since offered another free trip for two for a week in Bermuda. So, please do not forget your proximity to your neighbours a little more to the North. There’s a great market here too!
Believe Minister was only referencing AirTran from Atlanta and Baltimore rather than any Canadian airlines because those are new flights. She didn’t mention other US airlines/markets.
Will Bermuda be celebrating The Queen’s Jubilee next year? Done well this would be a sure fire attraction for people from North America especially, and cost little in the scheme of things. Any thoughts connected to College Weeks should be abandoned immediately unless there is a radical shift in the crackdown on minor drug offences, and that won’t happen considering the present environment. Overall The Minister still shows she does not know what she is doing, and is not empowering the right people who do.
“Any thoughts connected to College Weeks should be abandoned immediately unless there is a radical shift in the crackdown on minor drug offences …”
Seriously! Good point.
College weeks? NO PLEASE. More drugs, menace on the strets, wrecked properties and God only knows what else. Too little too late.
read what she says guys: it’s a college week reunion, so it’s a bunch of middle-aged people returning to explore the Bermuda they remember, only to come back and find its definitely not what they had in the 60′s and 70′s! I suppose they have given up their “hippy” ways of yester-year!
Everything with Patrice is coming to a town near you soon.
Its really time for her and her tram to go from Tourism, a year of talk and expensive trips
The public always loses with weak leaders, this Lady is probably nice in a private setting with family and friends but come on now Paula get real, why are you holding us hostage like this? I hope her performance at bntb is better than with tourism and ib
MAYBE ONE SHOULD GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF TOURISM IN BERMUDA TO SEE HOW IT
GOT STARTED. ALTHOUGH ONE CAN NEVER HOPE TO DO THE THINGS THAT WERE DONE IN THE BEGINNING – BUT – ONE CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE OF TOURISM THEN TO TOURISM NOW IN BERMUDA AND HOPEFULLY THROUGH THE PROCESS OF COMPARE AND CONTRAST WITH A BIT OF WISDOM
AND EXPERTISE FROM THOSE WHO KNOW – SEE A WAY TO START TOURISM FOR TODAY’S WORLD AND TODAY’S BERMUDA – DON’T YOU THINK???
ONE HAS ONLY TO LOOK ON THE INTERNET AND SEE BEAUTIFUL VACATION DESTINATION AROUND THE WORLD THAT ONE WOULD PREFER OVER BERMUDA AS ONE WOULD GET TO EXPERIENCE THE SAME BEAUTY THAT BERMUDA OFFERS FOR WAY FAR LESS THE COST AS BERMUDA. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
ONE HAS GOT TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING WAY MORE BETTER AND REALISTIC THAN WHAT IS PROPOSED IN THIS SPEECH IF ONE IS REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT IMPROVING TOURISM IN BERMUDA AND GIVING BERMUDIANS JOBS.
Patrice Minors, by her own admission to the Tourism Board from which she FIRED moi, knows NOTHING or very little about Tourism.
If anyone should be fired it is the Minister. BERMUDA is in crisis and we need a BRILLIANT CEO for a TOURISM AUTHORITY and get these snail paced politicians out of the way. Minors has had a year at the helm of Tourism and she has failed. She has failed like David allen failed, Renee Webb failed and even Ewart couldn’t pull a rabbit out of the hat.
We have a BARBADIAN Tourism Director, who ran ONE STAR crappy hotels here that went bust. NOWEHRE in the CARIBBEAN would a BERMUDIAN be in charge of another caribbean islands Tourism Department. If we needed someone from overseas to do the job, then we need someone who is a VISIONARY, that can MAKE IT HAPPEN. Griffiths is only a “YES MINISTER” type.
Couple Tourism’s pathetic leadership with the rest of the PLP RED TAPE rules, policies, term limits, discrimination against foreign spouses of Bermudians, the Real Estate policy, The attitudes and unfriendly vibes towards foreigners and expats and you have created a Disaster. Bermuda engineered its own demise. The Recession is not to blame for the PAST 30 years of BS, political wars, Racial division, ex pat bashing and generally making people feel NO LOVE.
People need to re read this article, lest we forget:
http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20110617/NEWS01/706179981
We need someone like Vincent Vanderpool- Wallace – look him up, he turned the Bahamas around, I’d even settle for someone on his team