Comments on: Celebrating Bermuda’s Cultural Identity

By: Fred Swartz

Fred Swartz — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:42:27 +0000

Yeah, they just don’t get it.

By: Triangle Drifter

Triangle Drifter — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 16:03:07 +0000

It is a pretty sad state of affairs inna!

Crime rate was a frequent question that I got. I am not a good liar so the best answer was to relate the crime to drugs. Many were shocked to hear that drugs were such a problem here. Hated to burst their bubble of a drug free Bermuda but it just was not so.

Tourism is not coming back until the product is improved. It is not just about prices. It is about crime & attitude towards service too. The current culture does not sell.

By: Triangle Drifter

Triangle Drifter — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 15:54:23 +0000

The concept of ‘giving the customer what he wants’ has never entered your head has it? It is ‘take it or leave it’ to you. You are not alone. Visitors have been ‘leaving it’ for years now. They no longer come here. Neither do their wallets.

BTW the ‘Drifter’ part of the screen name has nothing to do with Bermuda.

By: Triangle Drifter

Triangle Drifter — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 15:47:35 +0000

No it says that for 18 years I was not in some Government office trying to make work for myself to justify my existence fat paycheck.

It says that I was one of the very dew who regularly got to know our clients very well. It was much more than a 20 minute chat on the ride from the airport or idle chat over a bar. It was not some impersonal survey.

By: Triangle Drifter

Triangle Drifter — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 15:42:10 +0000

My point exactly. This will do nothing to help the promotion of tourism. It is waste of money window dressing to make some of the locals feel good.

Nothing to do with tourism.

By: Triangle Drifter

Triangle Drifter — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 15:39:15 +0000

Intangable culture & historical iconic structures are two very different things.

By: Rick Rock

Rick Rock — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 12:24:32 +0000

If it doesn’t interest tourists, why call it cultural tourism? It is a bit like faith based tourism. Doesn’t attract anyone to actually come here and be a tourist. It has no appeal. Very few people are interested. Comparing Bermuda cultural tourism as described by Dr. Dismont Robinson, to the Eiffel Tower, is absurd.

The things that might well interest tourists into coming to Bermuda are routinely overlooked by this government. Last year there was worldwide interest in a royal wedding. Bermuda could have made something out of that, but didn’t. Ignored it completely. Next year will be the queen’s diamond jubilee. Has Bermuda made anything of that? No. Another clear opportunity lost.

Americans love that stuff. It has widespread appeal, and it would create interest in Bermuda if we themed some tourism events on things like the diamond jubilee. But it never happens, for the same reason you never see Bermuda Tourism officials wearing Bermuda shorts.

By: Garry Marshall

Garry Marshall — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 11:57:27 +0000

Its a real nice Cultural identity that we have now days with all the shootings and killings going on here
This Government needs to get a hold of the situation and stump out the mess that we are in now before we don’t have an Island to have Cultural Identity.
Scoalsy

By: the new order

the new order — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 07:10:29 +0000

You all are actually entertaining this “triangle drifter?” The name should explain it all. He’s a bitter sad soul living in his bubble. I guess if it’s culturally British then he’s ok with it, but anything describing Bermuda’s “other” side makes him a bit uncomfortable…Not to worry, he’s just residual of the old ugly Bermuda we all want to forget.

By: David E Chapman

David E Chapman — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 05:32:17 +0000

Triangle Drifter,

Some things are more important than the “rate of return” alone. To say that you spent 18 years answering questions in the business but “seldom got a question about the demographics of Bermuda & can’t ever recall a question on slavery” speaks volumes, in more ways than one, and shows clearly why the work of the Government Cultural officers is so important! Sankofa!

By: David E Chapman

David E Chapman — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 05:08:14 +0000

Triangle Drifter,

Some things are about more than the “rate of return”. Preservation and education of culture is one of them. Sankofa!

By: Looney Tunes

Looney Tunes — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 03:29:40 +0000

It’s like going to france and saying tourist don’t care to know about the Eiffel tower, England – Big Ben; New York the statue of Liberty etc. get off the oba troll train.

By: Triangle Drifter

Triangle Drifter — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 00:13:34 +0000

We are not going to beat this horse again are we?

I know the whole cultural tourism thing makes the locals feel good but the fact is that the average visitor could not care less about cultural tourism.

They are interested in a bit of the history of the Island as it relates to the US but really nothing else. What does interest them is Island life today. what a bag of groceries costs, housing prices, property taxes, utility costs, how we build our homes, get our water, how taxes are raised, all the kinds of stuff that they can compare to home.

I spent 18 years answering these questions, & more, before the Platinum Period drove me out of business. One less available thing to do in Bermuda.

I seldom got a question about the demographics of Bermuda & can’t ever recall a question on slavery.

Sorry the diaspora trail may be important to some in Bermuda but the average visitor just does not care & does not want to have it rammed down his throat.

Information on where to eat & other Island attractions are much more important to them.

Cultural tourism will be like the faith based tourism fiasco. Another make a job for a few with very little rate of return.