BDOT Release 2013 Spring Break Promo Video
The Bermuda Department of Tourism [BDOT] has released their video promotion for Spring Break 2013 to highlight the events and activities available on island during Spring Break. The locally produced video features events from the 2012 Spring Break and will be posted on the Department’s website and various social media sites.
BDOT has added an additional week for Spring Break activities starting February 18 – 24| March 2 – 8 | March 9 – 15 | March 16 – 22, 2013.
To build on the momentum from last year’s Spring Break promotion, BDOT is offering cash incentives for Bermudian students studying in Canada and the United States to promote their country as a perfect destination to escape the cold North American winter for their break.
Local students can earn cash for students that travel to Bermuda and stay a minimum of three nights in a licensed hotel property or with a host family. Once again, Coco Reef is the official hotel for Spring Break and has an advertised room rate of $80 per person based on double occupancy.
Every student, including Bermuda College students, who register online will receive an event pass for free entry and access to all Spring Break daytime and nightlife events as well as special discounts at restaurants and island attractions.
Are you kidding me????
Another useless campaign by the Gov’t using bermudian students to brainwash canadian students to come to bermuda for “spring break”. Its 14 degrees Celsius in February and March! You can’t go to the beach! There is nothing to do on that island. It is so expensive to travel and what do you get? Run down hotels, $400-$500/night for a 1940′s decorated Fairmont hotel, Buses that don’t run properly and strike, cold weather, country in shambles. REALLY????? WHy would any student pay to go to Bermuda when they can pay $700-1000 dollars for a 1 week all inclusive resort vacation to Jamaica,, punta cana-Dominican Republic, Varadero-Cuba, South Florida and the list goes on. Those are excellent choices and the student gets so much more plus the greatest beaches and culture, things to do and see on those islands.
Stop lying to the students Bermuda, Bermuda is not a spring break destination!
Thats actually good weather for the Canadians. Remember they swim here during the winter months saying how warm the water is.
Shut up
Hey Dan,
Get a life and stop making everything political you sound like a capital douche!!!!! you can go somewhere else i know i will be back home chillin..
Political? I read truth…”I will be back home chillin…” LITERALLY.
Hey Dan,
Chill out!!
Bermuda practically invented Spring Break and was flooded with College Students sometimes up to 5000 in a week… Always they were held around the same time from end Feb through mid April.
So No one is lying to anyone.
Get your facts straight… Jamaica DR Cuba are all options and maybe cheaper but why shouldn’t Bermuda go after the business.
People will make their decisions based what is good for them.
Stop being so negative.
seriously.. last year was a flop!! Have the BDOT release the total $$$$ spent for last year summer break !!! to justify this one! and number of students who came .. Facts not fiction!
Hey hey, “that island” is my home and we have a very unique culture thanks, how many other destinations in the world would invite you with open arms and then treat you like sh!t? Huh? Yea that’s what I thought. You want to complain about our bus service do you? How many other destinations have a bus service that will wait until you get out of your wheel chair, climb on the bus, take a seat and then say GTF off my bus! No wheel chairs allowed! Push yo ass to Dockyard. Maybe North Korea but we’re closer, so yea, think twice before you complain. Oh and one more thing! If our hotel rooms were up to date, that would give the impression hotels are making profit and the economy is doing well, and that would be a lie, we preffere to leave that to our government thanks.
o yaaaa, bermuda just got some handicapped friendly buses….(give it a couple years before you use that type of statement…still waiting for handicapped entrances to many buildings and tourist locations)
A couple years lol yea right! They would probably cost about a million kabagillion dollars, they would be second hand, stop working after a week and someones pockets would be lined with green from the whole deal. Sorry but if Bermuda isn’t handicap friendly what chance does the average person stand? If I was a bus driver and a woman in a wheelchair got out of her wheel chair to WALK onto my bus, you know what I would do? GET OFF MY FAT UNION PROTECTED ASS AND HELP HER LIKE A DECENT HUMAN BEING! What ever happened to that driver? NUFFIN! What stops it from occuring again? NUFFIN! Someone should break his f@ckin legs so he can spend 6-8 weeks thinking about how much of a dick he is. Bermudians used to be known as friendly people, remember that? DOT is trying to sell spring break but what are they offering that is different? We funnel beer through noodles rather than beer bongs? Wow original, what better place to get cirrhosis of the liver than Bermuda. Bermuda is constantly copying and following off of other countries, never leading by coming up with an one of a kind original idea, we’re a one of a kind original island.
You raise some valid points, however Bermuda was a great spring break destination in the past and can work towards regaining at least some of that. I don’t think we will ever reach anywhere near our hey day, but we have to at least try. Although its not hot… to a student in Canada or Northern US.. 14C is great weather. And believe it or not… some do consider that beach weather. The stated rate is $80 per night, not the usual $400 – $500 as you state. If we as Bermudians are welcoming and have a positive attitude… instead of being so negative like you… the students that do come can have a fabulous time. It’s a perfect opportunity for some young entreprenuers to develop activities that college kids like. The main problem I see though is that Bermuda is too conservative. If we ease up our draconian marijuana laws, allow some booty shaking and wet T-shirt contests, and allow these kids to free up while they are here.. then we would see some success. College kids like to party! They want weed, sex, and alcohol… Is Bermuda ready to give them what they want?
At least someone is on the same page here.
Clearly he isn’t a Bermudian. Which is strange. I don’t understand why disgruntled foreigners are always online badmouthing Bermuda as if someone is holding a gun to their head and forcing them to be here and/or read Bermudian news.
Legalize cannabis and Bermuda will be crawling with young professional tourists!! This could be the “magic bullet” the Country needs to recover from the plp! Two U.S. States have recently legalized and taxed marijuana – not decriminalized, legalized! Time for a re-think of our draconian pot laws, IMO.
I actually wonder if people realize how much revenue could be made from Marijuana. It hurts nobody and if you don’t want to do it…don’t. Its only illegal because it would replace numerous pharmaseuticals and you can’t patent a 15,000 year old plant. In my opinion I think it would take a huge chunk out of our debt within a year, and yes tourists would flock here simply for that reason.
The sad truth is that those in top level positions in the justice system here make way to much off the cannabis prohibition laws to want to support the way Colorado & Washington have gone with their laws. The courts must have pulled in over $100,000 from tourist fines alone this year. If any minister ever tried to approach the idea of legalization judges here would have them pegged as junkies quicker than willie nelson could roll up a dubie. There would even be some in BPS that would start playing the Harry J. Anslinger role. Just look at what happened to the guy who was running as an independent in the last elections that supported legalization.
That is a sad truth Tommy. Are you talking about the same judges that give slaps on the wrist to pedo’s? Sometimes I think we’re the ones living in an alternate universe and somewhere out there is an exact but alternate dimension where sh!t actually makes sense. Possession of a plant carries a harsher penalty than kiddie fiddling…smh.
@Dan…everything Dan said was the truth…and if telling you the truth hurts you…then i guess you’re just gonna have to be hurt.
@ Please Leave Politics… Bermuda “WAS” the best.. not now….but im with you with the rest of your comment
i thought i was watching an alcohol promo….yeah its a shame thats the best Bda DOT can come up with…they the govt should legalize coffee houses, where people can relax and converse about ways and means of repairing the damage to our greatest gift ever received …EARTH…or we can just get drunk and say F#@K IT,!!!, (hic)gimme anowa won!…(hic) ive come to the conclusion that we need a unorthodox crew to turn this island around….as long as we follow …we will never be leaders will we..? but the marijuauna law definitely needs serious attention…dont be afraid of ur western neighbor or even ur motherland…cultivation and production along with export bermuda would be debt free within a year {thats 2billion BDA $$$)Then you can be an Independant Territory…producers of the worlds largest CASH crop…how serious are you all about our economic future here…how many more years of eating from hand to mouth…before you start eating ur f#@kin’ hand..? This is why i say to Step Out of the Box for a minute …then you will SEE things that you have never seen before because of your confinement to your comfort zone…Bda can be #1 overnight world sensation ok ..but not as long as you follow. Think.(before that becomes illegal too)
Hey Dan!
The last commercial done last year for spring break was bogus but this one is REAL footage of the last 2012 spring break here. NO KIDDING!
Do you see anyone dressed in down coats & unhappy? I don’t, thats because these spring breakers had A GREAT TIME HERE! Its just as chilly in Florida as it is here during the spring break months minus the daily without fail downpours Florida has. Plus DOT hooked up company sponsored room rates for $90 a night, parties, drink & food specials for these students & full time organizers who took these spring breakers everywhere they wanted to go in complimentary transport. Besides after some of our black rum even a tundra would feel warm.
I have to give credit where it’s due & this was a great idea that the minister had before his new joined government party gave him a lobotomy that caused him to agree to a 30 million dollar crap of a job campaign. Yes this commercial was poorly done with its pixelated slogan & sloppy editing but the idea is still a good one. Maybe they should of had whoever did the bufferitis cablevision commercial do this one since its the best Bermudian commercial I’ve seen yet & I’m sure cablevision wouldn’t have paid millions for it but nevertheless the message is still there with the scantily clad inebriated bodies which is what sells no matter how shoddy its done.
You’ve mentioned vacationing in other places but the places you listed except for Cuba are not anywhere as close to being as safe as Bermuda. Yearly spring breakers are killed, kidnaped or raped in these places so I’m sure parents would rather give their kids spending money for a trip here than there.
most of the people in these videos are local. I was at most of the events and they were tired. It would be embarrassing to bring people down for spring break when its ‘mug’. I bring friends down in the summer when its actually good
“Yearly spring breakers are killed, kidnaped or raped in these places so I’m sure parents would rather give their kids spending money for a trip here than there.”
Did you forget about Rebecca Middleton or do you just assume our target market doesn’t know about her?
Um Um Like I think you missed the word yearly. What happened to Rebecca was very sad, shocking & tragic but Canadians still come here to visit & still feel safe to traveling around most of Bermuda. Like I typed before the only place that most visitors feel safe traveling around is cuba out of the ones listed off as spring break spots.
Based on how this country has dealt with this in the past, if a parent does send their child here for spring break and they are raped or killed there’s a good chance justice will never be served.
I take it Bermuda is not to your liking…?
But Bermuda is a wonderful place to visit even in the winter/ Spring time. It is an escape from the snow and cold. You must let the young people choose for themselves where they want to Hoilday… It may be Bermuda this year Mexico the next but thats the joy of traveling and growing up..!! You can’t predict that they won’t have a good time in Bermuda just because you didn’t. You really have some sour grapes, did you not get a rum floater on your Rum Swizzle..?
I think Bermuda is a destination for a slightly more affluent traveler than you. But you can still party on the cheap in Bermuda… Bermudians do it every day. There are places where you can get cocktails and beers for less than $5 every day and you could have a hoot of a time.
If you had a bad experience in you probably brought it with you to the island and it left with you when you did. So you can stay away and we’ll party here for Spring Break and every other celebration without you…!!,
Peace !!
I agree Bermuda is not a typical spring break destination. Its windy and cold (most days). Lets not just offer drinking events as what we see in this campain…Dark n stormy partys…wkd parties, beer events in dockyard..etc.
What DoT SHOULD be doing is ramping up college sports tournaments..all sports and offer some good school prizes for the winners. A properly run varsity sports tournament could bring teams, coaches, support groups, even team parents to the island.
Because ALL college students want to spend spring break with their parents…
Um, no.
They want to go to the beach. They want to party. They want to let loose after exams week.And to most of them, our temperatures in February and March are very comfortable.
He he.. its really warm here in February/March. Every one is always at the Beach, especially in bikinis! My cat could do a better job.
Actually, unlike last year’s promotional video, the majority of that footage is of Bermuda Spring Break 2012.
So dan, you’re criticizing the Department of Tourism for attempting to persuade tourists to come to the island, simply because there are better options??? If that were the case, nobody would ever come to the island! If everyone had your way of thinking, we would never develop into a spring break destination, at least the DOP are making an attempt, all credit to them. Florida, Jamaica, etc were not always spring break destinations, it tooks steps to get were they are now.
i can name a hundred places better to go to
than this s#@t hole,,, what they gona do all day
go beach? ,,,,,dont waist your money spring breakers,,,,
Then we complain that our economy is shot. I feel your frustrastion and I see where you’re coming from, but seriously… your negative attitude does nothing to help Bermuda.
Another complainer. Where else are weed prices in direct competition with gold? Yea, mug weed at that. Thailand, 30 years in prison for possesion, $15 USD for 7grams. Bermuda, $800 fine on top of $100 a gram. The choice is yours my friend.
Bermuda: Ruining lives for possession of cancer medications since the late 1800s… Paradise.
Oooh, tom, aren’t you a little positive ray of sunshine????
Those college students who have come in from the east coast of either the US or Canada and their sub-zero termperatures and snow will want to do exactly that..go to THE beach…and party at night. For a college kid, that’s Nirvana.
Name the hundred places. I want to hear this. “dont waist”? Clearly you don’t go to college.
Are these some of the hundred places you want to name. http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/02/28/dangers-lurk-spring-breaks-dangerous-destinations
I would think that places like these with their abundance of tourist murders & prostitutes would take the “s#@t hole” award way before Bermuda.
Where’s Bermuda on this list I’ve pasted here from one of Toronto’s major newspapers. Sad indeed.
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/11/19/top-10-caribbean-resorts-for-winter-getaways
Funny how this story is 2 stories above the AA Conference that will be held here. After looking at this video, it makes all the sense in the world. Bermuda – so much more…alcohol…
Well, we don’t allow our tourist leniency to get toasty on the herb so we need to give them someway to let off steam. Hopefully they BDOT will still have the same transportation arrangements for these students so even if they do indulge they will be safe from themselves. I don’t condone alcohol drinking & rather the herb be the pass time for those 18 & over but we don’t have any intelligent law makers so C’est la vie.
More spin from Wayne and the gang. This video was released in early October and they are just repackaging it now in the election cycle.
It clearly states on YouTube it was released on October 10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MG0Fj-dGS0&feature=plcp
Nice try Wayne.
Bermuda invented Spring Break. Late 60s & early 70s Bermuda boomed. Then, for a number of reasons some of then created right here, College Weeks declined to what they are today. Nothing.
We have competition that we did not have before. We are way too expensive. College students & their parents do not have the disposable money that they had back then. Who needs the Bermuda attitude of doing them a favour by serving them. The girls certainly don’t need the harassment from the Bermuda males who think that, well, never mind what they are thinking. The name Middleton comes to mind. Who needs the stuffy Bermuda atmosphere when the beaches of Florida or Mexico are calling at a fraction of Bermudas prices.
We had our turn. This add is just plain old deceiving.
You are basing the Bermuda male population on an incident that happened over 16 years ago? And if my memory serves me correct was perpetrated by Jamaicans? Right. College students aren’t nuns and would gladly accept male attention anyway. I’m sensing from your wording that the male attention isn’t the entire problem but what type of male attention it is. Are you a Bermudian male? Does that describe you?
Some of you will talk about Rebecca Middleton until the end of time. Goodness.
The footage in this BDOT commercial is from the last college weeks we had in 2012 not late 60s & early 70s. Maybe it’s not 5000 but it’s a good restart & I bet each one of these students spent more in Bermuda then our elitist tourist we are always trying to direct our promotional media toward. These are the ones who will remember Bermuda as they age & find jobs & start a family & become repeat visitors. Don’t get me wrong we still need the elitist tourist also as every dollar counts but we need to branch out like this instead of putting our egg all in the same basket as we have done for decades before. If we want to get rid of our notoriety for pompousness then this is a good way to do so.
In your regards to the Middleton tragedy as horrible as it was it’s something that rarely to close to never happens here. Its funny that use this in the same paragraph as promoting Mexico & Florida where stuff like this happens every year. You do know that Mexico is in the middle of a cartel war that has seen hundreds of decapitated heads all over the country & is known for tourist kidnappings? Don’t you? You must also know about Florida being one of the most notorious welfare states that has brought an insurgence of gangs that stalk tourist to rob & kill them. Just last year a 16 year old in Florida forced two british tourist to strip to humiliate them & then murdered them in cold blood to gain bragging rights for his crew.
I went to Thailand for a month, spent 3grand including my $1500 ticket and lived like a king, unfortunatley I had to return to my birth place. Why would anyone with the choice choose Bermuda? We have jack all to offer besides alcohol that you can still get cheaper elsewhere. Marijauana in Thailand is 30 years in prison, I layed in my hammock daily and smoked a fat head 10ft away from a high traffic foot path and guess what… No-one-gave-a-damn. I dare you to do that in Bermuda, you would probably be deported, who wants to deal with that? Here’s a clue… NO ONE! All anybody wants out of a vacation is a stress free environment. I went to Cali, got medical marijuana and I don’t have a perscription, if I got caught, the police would say naughty boy, take it away, and send me on my way…Bermy? Hello hamilton police station, better hope its not Friday. Colorado just recently legalize recreational marijuana, California for years for medical purposes, among other states. Get with the program Bermuda! You going to consider it after the whole world does it first? Do something original that people want Bermuda, its really not that difficult.
@Hammer…you do know that Bermuda isn’t considered a “Caribbean” island, right? So why you think it should be on the Top 10 Caribbean Resorts for Winter Getaways list is beyond me….
People just complain and complain… then wonder why we don’t get anywhere. Smh.
I had six friends down over 3 years here for spring break.
3 have returned with their wives over the years to share their memories of the island with their loved ones.
@DAN,
you are a ignorant man, what you unaware of is that Bermuda was one of the first places that hosted Spring Break, as a matter of fact, Bermuda was one of the destinations that started the spring break craze in the world. the weather has not changed during that time. Many of can remember the guest houses around Bermuda packed with students as many could not afford the hotels. Even today many come back to Bermuda with the family as a result of their fond memories of Spring Break. they had lacross competitions, football matches, and a host of games, beach activities (in the cold) and night life. Yes, that was sometime ago, but it shows that we can do it. The doom and gloom you are spewing is absolutely ignorant and I am glad most sound thinking people see you comments as ignorant. Tourism has a long way to go, but I am glad we are trying.
Oh, how nice. Young people drinking and having fun. But what about the people under 18? Are we not suppose to have fun? Or we need to drink to have fun? Always doing things for adults, and nothing for the younger people. Hence the reason, why we act crazy! Helloooo we need some attention and something for US damnit!
Negativity is killing events anyway! Sick of them. Nothing is good enough!
i go to university overseas. I tell people only come in the summer, otherwise go spend your money in cancun. its much better
Why dont we push oct and nov as a time to get the attention of the east coasters? its anywhere from 75 to 85 degrees. you can actually create another “cup match” during that time period. lets angle it as “fall break” or something along thoes lines. why are we trying to copy the bahamas, mexico and florida? yes it can be nice during feb and march but im local and i do spend alot of my time in the ocean.. even in winter and it just doesnt make sense to promote bermuda as a warm destination over this time frame.