Tourism Authority Update Staff On New Structure
Chairman of the Bermuda Tourism Authority [BTA] David Dodwell, Permanent Secretary Francis Richardson and Bermuda Department of Tourism [BDOT] Director Billy Griffith today met with staff of the BDOT to update them on the new structure of the Bermuda Tourism Authority. New York-based staff were presented to simultaneously via video conference.
The new enterprise will be led by a Chief Executive Officer and will consist of four divisions:
- Tourism Investment;
- Product & Experience;
- Sales & Marketing:
- Corporate Support Functions.
A spokesperson said, “New Tourism Authority functions and services, identified by a governance model research undertaken by the Authority such as investment and funding, product and attraction development, tourism research, tourism education and training as well as niche marketing and management, will be included within the divisions.
“These will be added to functions that were undertaken by the BDOT in the past, such as branding and sales and marketing. There will also be a research and business intelligence unit. These new roles reflect the priorities of the National Tourism Plan.
“Staff were also introduced to the new vision and culture of the BTA, which will be dynamic, vibrant and effective. The organisation will embrace innovation and creativity and value the entrepreneurial spirit.
“The Tourism Authority will encourage open communication and collaboration and will be results-oriented, accountable and transparent to its stakeholders. The BTA will empower its people to be customer focused, proactive, solution-oriented and make decisions that are in the best interest of Bermuda as a tourism destination.
“BDOT employees were also briefed on the process and opportunities for jobs within the Bermuda Tourism Authority. Once staff have met with Government’s HR Department and expressed an interest in working for the Tourism Authority, there will be an opportunity for them to apply for a position at the Authority for an exclusive period.
“These staff will be interviewed and considered. Positions not offered to BDOT staff will then be advertised to the public. As has already been communicated, the position of CEO is already under search and other senior executive positions may also be put out for search in the near future.”
Chairman of the Bermuda Tourism Authority, David Dodwell, says: “The new Tourism Authority will develop core and complementary product and service offerings to increase the overall attractiveness and competitiveness of Bermuda as a tourism destination to strengthen tourism demand and reduce seasonality.
“Our goal is also to enhance investment in Bermuda’s tourism industry through improving the investment environment and managing the investor relations process. In line with the Bermuda Tourism Authority’s vision, we will be developing a staffing model that supports this activity and reflects a dynamic, entrepreneurial and vibrant organization.”
Timing is everything.
A better approach would be to hire the CEO first since the CEO ‘personality’ will havea a significant impact on the Authority staff and activities.
I totally agree. Seems to be putting the cart before the horse.
So true…let the CEO build his empire of like minds!
I still dont understand how a Tourism Authority will have any impact on tourism in Bermuda.
How does replacing one government with another ‘semi’ government department, with the same people, result in any meaningful change?
You could try reading the release, if you’re looking for understanding…
I don’t see any change coming out of this, not when the prices still remain the same with the airlines and hotels.
Again… we don’t need to change our prices to match our worth, we need to raise our worth to match our prices.
And the only way that airline prices are coming down is if we have a robust tourism industry with people wanting to come here.
Question:
What happened to this statement from the Minister – “All BDOT staff that are unsuccessful in securing a position with the new Authority will be offered alternative employment within Government.”
Above I read the following – “BDOT employees were also briefed on the process and opportunities for jobs within the Bermuda Tourism Authority. Once staff have met with Government’s HR Department and EXPRESSED an interest in working for the Tourism Authority, there will be an opportunity for them to APPLY for a position at the Authority for an exclusive period.
“These staff will be interviewed and considered. Positions NOT OFFERED to BDOT staff will then be advertised to the PUBLIC.”
Please note those words that I capitalized – - they are most important.
Any one want to answer my question, which is, – Which is it? Will they have a job or not?
Q
Q-
There is no contradiction here.
Those BDOT employees that aren’t offered a position with the Tourism Authority may expect to be offered a position elsewhere in Government. That is what the Minister promised.
EW
EW:
Please actually read your statement – “those BDOT employees that aren’t offered a position with the Tourism Authority MAY EXPECT to be offered a position elsewhere in Government.”
That statement is a maybe statement – not fact. The Minister cannot guarantee any of them a position elsewhere in Government – that is a falsehood – thus my original question still stands.
Q
Q-
Perhaps it will help if you put the Minister’s statement before my sentence:
“All BDOT staff that are unsuccessful in securing a position with the new Authority will be offered alternative employment within Government,” [so] those BDOT employees that aren’t offered a position with the Tourism Authority MAY EXPECT to be offered a position elsewhere in Government.”
Is that clearer?
You might, sometime in the future, have a point if a current BDOT employee isn’t offered a job in Government. You have no point along those lines now.
The fact that the Tourism Authority has jobs that can’t be filled by current BDOT employees really has nothing to do with the Minister’s statement.
There’s nothing contradictory in these statements.
EW
Please read my post below
Q
This is the weakest semantics play you’ve done to date.
“That is a falsehood”? How do you know this?
Why is it false? “May expect” means that they will be offered a position elsewhere. To pretend it doesn’t is the worst kind of specious argument.
You’re, yet again, making a mountain out of a molehill.
Hind:
I know that you, apparently, have some issue with my post from time to time – I get it, no problem.
However, my friend, please understand that I speak from a point of information that cannot be shared in this forum.
The statement above that I am focused on is this – “Once staff have met with Government’s HR Department and expressed an interest” – - they have to express an interest? Really? They should not even have to apply in my opinion. This is just a way of getting rid of people they deem “undesirable” without a huge fanfare.
Additionally, another part of the statement has me a bit worried, which is this – “Positions not offered to BDOT staff will then be advertised to the public”. This says to me that they are looking at certain people not being placed thus those jobs will be advertised OUTSIDE of government – to Bermudians, non-Bermudians, expats, etc. (i.e. the public).
Now, you might say that doesn’t equate to eliminating those persons from government jobs – and that might be true. However, that possibility versus a “guarantee”, which is what the Minister said, is two very different things.
I am simply pointing out that the Minister cannot guarantee any position to the BDOT employees in government regardless of his desire/wishes.
Q
why don’t u call up ya minister and ask him yaself instead of doin a pack on d blogs. what makes u think anybody on here will know ya answer lmfao.
My question is designed to make you actually think about the why – - not necessarily it there a requirement to answer the question – - did you keep up with that?
Q
There are no discrepencies between the two statements. Not sure why you feel there is.
See my post above.
Q
Question:
“those BDOT employees that aren’t offered a position with the Tourism Authority MAY EXPECT to be offered a position elsewhere in Government.”
This quote does not exist in the statment above.
I understand it as they can apply and have first crack at jobs in the Tourism Authority and if unsuccessful they will be offered a job elsewhare in government. There is nothing in the minister’s statments or the above that suggests otherwise.
See my post reply to Mike Hind.
Q
Why would they hire someone for the Tourism Authority if they did not express an interest? If they are not adequate for the position they apply for why would they be placed there? We are trying to make things better – not the statues quo. Those satisfied with the status quo in tourism, or who are deemed by their past performace to be of the ‘status quo’ nature will find employment in a less critical area of government I would expect. We still have to ‘carry’ them, but hopefully the trade off is an improved tourism product. They were guarateed jobs in government, not in tourism. Not complicated.
Your statement is full of holes sir. They were never guaranteed jobs in government – that was a sound bite from the Minister – he can’t guarantee them anything.
That was my whole point.
Q
the oba is all about putting their people in place
if you realy want to know I think Mr Mike WINDFIELD would have been a better choice than david dodwell
PLP made Mr. Dodwell the Chairman of their Tourism Board…
winfield is on the sideline. he’s a part.
The PLP did the same thing when they were in power, and look at the mess that THAT got us in!
“the oba is all about putting their people in place”
And?
Who else should the put in place? People they DON’T think will do a good job?
Mr. Mike WINFIELD (his real name) would probably do a good job, too.
But that doesn’t mean Mr. Dodwell won’t.
(And “If you really want to know I think…”? I’m not sure anyone really wants to know. Just so you know.)
Donald Duck or even Jinx would be a better choice than David Dodwell.
Based on… what?
ya because david dodwell knows nothing about tourism or having a 4/5 star hotel. Shut up already and lay down ya joker
This Tourism Minister, Director and Chairman need to understand Change Management. This is a course offered by Government’s HR department and all of the information provided in the press BLATANTLY in the sections on things that SHOULD be avoided during reorganization/transformation of a workforce.
SMH!!!
2 questions:
why the hell BDOT needs a PS and a Director….that 500K in salary and benefits every year for nothing. Send Richardson back to M&P and send Griffiths go back to the private sector
Where are the questions?
leave me alone Hind, you’re bothering me
So… No questions. Got it.
please get on with it, the same people cannot deliver a new successful strategy, i remember sitting in a meeting once and listening to someone say the church in St Georges was a major tourist attraction that could revive the economy of the old town.
its full time for OBA to get on with it and sweep out the old cob webs, yes place these people in other parts of Govt, but please just get on with it, we are coming up on ONE YEAR since 17 December 2012
Lets go!
A new vision can change the direction a team goes in. Of course, some people are already being negative.
As usual, they’re not worried that it’s going to fail.
They’re worried it’s going to succeed.