Bermuda Tourism Authority Appoints Victoria Isley
[Updated] The Bermuda Tourism Authority [BTA] announced that Victoria Isley has been named its Chief Sales and Marketing Officer.
Ms. Isley, an American, will oversee all of the BTA sales and marketing efforts in North America based out of its New York office. She will start her new position on June 2, 2014.
BTA CEO Bill Hanbury — who worked with Ms. Isley at Destination DC said — “Vicki Isley brings an extraordinary level of marketing and sales expertise to the effort of repositioning Bermuda as one of the world’s pre-eminent tourism destinations.
“Her decision to join our team is another indication of Bermuda’s serious intention to compete with other top-level tourism destinations in the US and across the globe. We’re excited that she is joining our team.”
The BTA said, “Isley previously served as the Chief Operating Officer for Destination Marketing Association International [DMAI]. In her role with DMAI, she oversaw the association’s integrated executive team, which included marketing and communications efforts, membership and business development, professional development and meetings departments, as well as its convention sales products.
“Through her work, she was part of a team that managed the world’s largest destination marketing trade association, representing 600 organizations worldwide. Additionally, she also served as the Executive Director of the DMAI Foundation since October 2012.
“Prior to her work with DMAI, Isley served as the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Destination D.C. from October 2001 to April 2011.
“Responsible for all marketing, research, crisis communications, media relations promotions, tourism sales and visitor service functions during her tenure, Isley was the organizational marketing lead for high profile initiatives including tourism recovery efforts following 9/11, the dedication of the National World War II Memorial and the inauguration celebration for President Barack Obama.
“Isley also brings previous experience as the Vice President of Marketing & Communications for the Tampa Bay Convention & Visitor’s Bureau (July 1997 – October 2001) and Director of Communications for the Durham Convention & Visitor’s Bureau (October 1994 – July 1997) to her new role.
“A 1991 graduate of the University of North Carolina with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing, Isley has served as a past chair of the U.S. Travel Association’s research committee as well as a member of the board of directors for Public Relations Society of America’s Travel and Tourism sector.”
“At this point in my career, it’s really exciting to be joining the newly formed Bermuda Tourism Authority,” said Ms. Isley. “The industry leaders did their homework when establishing the new organization – and have fashioned it as the next generation DMO – charged with destination marketing as well as management.
“There is so much opportunity. There is such beauty on the island – such a genuine sense of place. I look forward to helping tell the many stories of Bermuda, connecting travelers with the island, and creating jobs an economic development for the residents.”
Update 6.05pm: The BTA released information about additional new hires, their press statement follows below:
The Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) welcomes the appointment of four Bermudians to its locally based team: Jill Dill, On-Island Communications and Tourism Appreciation Manager; Jodi Lewis, External Coordination Manager Alistair Jack, Hotel Liaison; and Willa Douglas, Human Resource Manager.
BTA CEO, Bill Hanbury notes, “The Bermuda Tourism Authority is very fortunate to have attracted such a talented group of individuals to join the team.
“They represent a very fresh, energetic and knowledgeable brain-trust that have an appreciation for their island home and are passionate about presenting Bermuda at its very best to the world.”
Reporting into the COO, with dotted line responsibilities into the New York-based Director of Marketing, On-Island Communications and Tourism Appreciation Manager Jill Dill manages the creation and distribution of all tourism related communication to the citizens of Bermuda.
She is responsible for creating communications vehicles for use on island that continually update and inform the community on tourism initiatives and activities with the objective of building a renewed positive mindset towards tourism; and acts as the conduit to identify and release updates and general business information from customers, business interactions, trade shows and events etc. through all key feeder markets.
Ms. Dill has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Moore College of Art and has worked for the past four years as a Corporate/Group Concierge for Discover Bermuda, and has provided creative services for a wide range of Bermuda clients for more than 14 years.
As External Coordination Manager, Jodi Lewis will assist senior leadership with inter-governmental coordination tasks and inter-governmental relationship management. Reporting to the Chief Product & Experiences Development Officer, her responsibilities include managing eligible projects through the government approval process and streamlining interactions with approval agencies.
Mrs. Lewis holds two Masters Degrees, one in Public Relations from Full Sail University and another in Professional Counseling from Liberty University. She joins the BTA from the Bermuda Housing Corporation and has previously managed her own public relations firm, JD Lewis Group.
Hotel Liaison Alastair Jack will report into the New York-based Partnership Manager and Marketing Manager responsible for sales, marketing and distribution strategy, promoting all Bermuda lodgings i.e. Resort Hotels, Cottage Colonies, Bed and Breakfasts.
His responsibilities include working with Bermuda’s hotel community to understand its goals and strategy, and communicating these needs to sales and marketing, distribution and airlines managers; educate and inform all hotels/lodging on current distribution opportunities that meet their needs; and exchanging business intelligence and monitoring performance together with future pacing.
Prior to joining the BTA, Alistair Jack was the Local Sales Manager for Rosewood Tucker’s Point. He holds both a Bachelor of Science in Tourism Development and Management and a Master of Science in Tourism Studies from Arizona State University.
Human Resource Manager Willa Douglas is responsible for the day-to-day management of all human resource functions from recruitment to benefit administration.
She has over 20 years of human resource experience, including four years as Manager of Compensation Benefits and H/R at Capital G Limited and received her Professional Human Resource Designation (PHR) through the Society of Human Resource Management in 2003.
Finally, also joining the BTA as Controller is Duncan Beveridge. He holds responsibility for the financial operations of the organisation and reports to the COO. He is responsible for leading the financial operations, and for providing financial guidance, relevant analyses and participating in business strategy development.
Additionally, his role includes ensuring accurate records that comply with accounting standards statutory requirements; establishing controls and procedures; and providing support and managing the relationship with external auditors. Mr Bevridge was formerly the CFO of Jupiter Hotels, which owns and operates 26 full-service hotels throughout Great Britain, for 25 years.
He holds his ACA (Association of Chartered Accountants) and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) and has spent several decades visiting Bermuda with his Bermudian wife and children.
“There are a total of 14 BTA team members in New York, of which only two are non-Bermudian,” said Mr. Hanbury. “And 15 in Bermuda of which I’m the only one who wasn’t blessed to be born here or married to someone from here!
“However I am proud to be working with the talent and passion of the entire BTA team as we promote the best of this Island to the world.”
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they hired Hanbury’s former understudy
the BTA appears to be run like a banana republic
jobs for the boys or rather girls at the public purse’s expense
they hired a sales and marketing agent who has never stepped foot on the island
Hanbury needs to get packing like Headley
It continues to baffle me on how all these people from overseas are in charge of the overall image of our country. Just like a job how you must have a certain amount of years experience, people put in positions like this should live on the island for a certain amount of years to truly get the sense of what the island is going through.
OK did this Lady not read Bernews or research other Bermuda “Media & Marketing” information before signing in the dotted line to know that friends and family aint gonna work, furthermore surely she read about Heatley,
How can a publicly funded body not give the public information on salaries and who authorised the hiring of this professional with our public funds?
Here the OBAubp go again, JOBSJOBSJOBSJOBS all for Non-Bermudians, but what the HECK about Bermudians… I can see why many are now growing dissatisfied, disillusioned and disenchanted by this OBAubp government. All Bermudians ask for it to be consider for a JOB first. Nothing more and nothing less. Folks are feeling more disenfranchised daily. After all one needs money to feed their families. “JOBS FOR BERMUDIANS”
“Hungry man is an angry man”
Isn’t this an American position? She is working from New York.
Then let the American Taxpayer pay for her! how silly.
Regardless of the location, there is something call airplanes and relocation. In fact some Bermudians would have love this opportunity and see it as a different job opportunity. Like traveling on the cruise ships jobs. Location in NJ is a poorest excuse I heard…but after all is the OBAubp serious about JOBSJOBSJOBS or not?
You’re saying that US Immigration should grant a Bermudian permission to work in NY when there are qualified Americans?
BTW, I agree that Ms. Isley is the wrong person for the job but that’s a separate question.
But Bettty, why are you arguing against Dr Brown?
He assures us that the best thing that ever happened to Bermuda tourism was Global Hue. They were a bunch of foreigners selling Bermuda tourism.
Your idol, Dr Brown, says they were great.
When the PLP is in charge of it, the PLP has no problem at all with non-Bermudians being paid millions of dollars to sell Bermuda tourism.
Betty, once again you are reacting before really thinking the issue through. This is a position in the US; therefore it falls under US Immigration’s jurisdiction. They are just as scrupulous when it comes to visas (i.e. work permits), if not more so, than we are. They also have a much larger pool of qualified applicants (show me a Bermudian with Ms. Isley’s qualifications who wants this job.)
So by your logic, if an American firm sets up office in Bermuda they should hire Americans first. You complain when a non-Bermudian gets a job at one of the international businesses but then say in the US they should have to hire Bermudians first. How hypocritical.
The job is in the US.
What has this got to do with the government?!?
It is highly unlikely that the Authority will ever pay for itself.
To make matters worse,Crockwell has given Hanbury a blank cheque and no accountability to us the taxpayers who must bear the cost of this dubious financial arrangement.
Why would you say that it’s unlikely that it’ll pay for itself?
And what makes you say that they have a blank cheque?
Do you have ANYTHING to back this up?
PLEASE show us why you’d say this.
Before everyone throws the new hire under the bus, please think about the fact that a big part of this role is knowing the USA market and how to access that market, the knowledge about Bermuda, while important, is not as critical to success as having the ability to successfully access the USA market. Measure her on her ability to do that.
“Hey, look! Another molehill!”
Is this a friends and family deal or what ? Does she know about the s$&t on our beaches ? What does she know about the US CONSULATE warnings ? Is she capable of increasing the average hotels night stay from two to perhaps three nights per family ?
Will we get our monies worth from her ?
So it just happens that the most qualified person worked for Bill Hanbury in the past? yea sure..
Also, and I quote this lady “I look forward to helping tell the many stories of Bermuda, connecting travelers with the island, and creating jobs an economic development for the residents.”
Sure she can tell the stories about riding her pedal bike through the Railway trail when she was young, or diving off cliff’s, maybe’s she’s picked a few loquats and made a Bermuda Kite too, who knows. SMDH
You think Americans are interested in kites and loquats?! Try all inclusive resorts, clean beaches, nice BUT AFFORDABLE restaurants, golf courses and spas, and yes, CASINOS.
If we’ve been selling bike rides and loquat picking, then that’s why tourism died. Marketing “quaint” might have done it in 1956, but not anymore.
Good luck to Ms. Isley. I trust that she understands what US vacationers and conventioneers are looking for and will tell Bermuda’s story in that context. In parallel, the hotel and restaurant owners need to step up their game. Maybe it’ll finally drum up some business.
Interesting….a person who doesn’t really know much about Bermuda is now the Chief of Sales and Marketing.
Hanbury clearly is subscribing to the friends and family plan and hired a former colleague.
All this lady really knows about Bermuda is probably what she read on the internet.
Crockwell should direct Hanbury to publicize a complete staff list of the Authority, along with the qualifications and salaries.
We have a right to this information, despite what he says.
Um.. you realize that the list of staff at the BTA isn’t a secret, right, as are their qualifications.
The salaries are debatably none of our business.
Brother Mike…remember thge conversation we had about this BTA? They have no intentions if hiring locals whom have the love and passion of Bda…I believe we need the “mike hinds” on this board….I understand the need for outside influence, but surely we can have the “Shine Haywards” on board….what do you think?
*the*
And I hope you remember my response.
They HAVE hired locals and ones with passion for Bermuda.
They’ve also been VERY open to listening to the ideas of the “Mike Hinds”.
They don’t need someone like me on the board if they’re as willing to listen as they have been.
And I don’t need another job! Lordie! I’m gonna be working 12 days a week this summer as it is!
Ok chief…Sounds like you know where the money is…
Bust my butt to find it, too!
Guess we Bermudians are just going to sit back and let every other nationality be given our jobs!
So you’re saying that US Immigration should approve a Bermudian hire (remember, this job is in NY) when there are qualified Americans? Or does that sort of logic only apply when a Bermudian company wants to hire an American to work on the island.
lol… fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me…
Well…. didn’t our very own Attorney General hire his secretary, as a civil servant……. from is private Law firm, not sure how that happened but it did , just because he knew she was the perfect fit for the job… so why are we surprised at this….
Just about anyplace I’ve worked, when a senior exec leaves they take their secretary with them.
Friends and family. It’s all about connections people. Hirings like this happen every day.
The difference is, these people are paid from the public purse!
☻☻☻☻
all i have 2 say
Hey lets give her a chance, who knows what will happen, remember you go with what you and who you now!
Hanbury has to GO!…get crackin’ boy!
as for this woman in NY being hired…wth does she know about Bermuda!
NO ONE can tell me that a Bermudian could not be found for the position…in fact..was this position ever advertised locally?
This job is in New York. It’s not up to Bermuda Immigration to decide if there’s a qualified Bermudian. It’s up to US Immigration to decide if there’s a qualified American.
Do you know of a Bermudian who has senior executive experience in Marketing and Communications and also has U.S. citizenship (this job is in New York)?
Jodi Lewis – where have I heard that name before. Man I tell you the OBA have no shame!
They crucified a black man – but let the white man do it and its OK!
Friends and Family in full effect – this time much better than last!
I bet the newbie don’t even know where the airport is. shame shame shame.
Oh yeah, because it takes a Real Bermudian to find out difficult things like Where The Airport Is.
Love that Washington DC background for her ‘headshot’. Don’t you?
Don’t you all get it. Of course she knows nothing about Bermuda, but she is a good salesperson. What they will do now that she is hired, is to spend a few more thousand$ to give her a familiarization tour of Bermuda. First of all she will arrive on one of the cruise ships. They will let her eat at Art Mels for a fish sandwich. They will offer her a spa treatment at Cambridge Beaches. In fact the Cambridge beaches thing may be a regular to clear her nostrils of New York pollution. She may even arrive in time for this weekend’s “Ag Show”. Then she will do all of the touristy things like the Aquarium, the Caves, Dockyard, even “backatown”.
There may even be a photo op with Miss Bermuda (before a black girl is the new queen) in the birdcage on front Street.
I can think of a whole host of things to bring her up to par. All on our dime.
Hanbury–”And 15 in Bermuda of which I’m the only one who wasn’t blessed to be born here or married to someone from here!”
Really? Someone has fail to do their homework!
Did you miss the part where she won’t be in Bermuda?
Ooops….”failed to do their homework!
So they have a total of 29 employees and only 3 of them aren’t Bermudian or a spouse of a Bermudian and yet somehow this new entity is a Bermudian hating organization staffed to the hilt with those nasty foreign types.
Oh and BTW for the last umpteen years we have had a Bermudian leading the tourism department (i.e. Minister of Tourism) who was supported by a team that was comprised of majority Bermudians (i.e. DoT) of whom all grew up in Bermuda, “riding bikes, eating loquats and cliff diving.” Yet despite being Bermudian tourism still maintained its death spiral to the point where it is today. So the belief that just because you have Bermudian accent or upbringing guarantees success in attracting tourists is just silly. One actually needs tried and tested marketing, sales abilities and connection as a means to actually sell something.
The most glaring and ironic hypocrisy of the usual posters is that during the previous Government’s reign they cheered on (or stayed deafly silent) the firing of the whole NY DoT team which in turn was replaced by the foreign Sales Focus firm as well as defending the Government’s decision to pay millions upon millions of our taxpayers dollars to a foreign firm (Global Hue) who had not one employee reside in Bermuda. Or we can talk about your non-objections to the hiring of the foreign Ms Anne Schutte to the position of Director by the previous administration. And don’t for a minute I am somehow justifying (cause it doesn’t need to be justified one bit) because the PLP did it. I agreed with some of these actions by Dr. Brown, because he shares the same belief that I do with that being if you can’t fulfil your role that you were hired to do then you should be removed from that post no matter if you are Bermudian or not. Didn’t agree with much that Dr. Brown did, but I do agree with that part of his mentality for sure.
In the end some of you people are simply funny and some of the most hate filled individuals on this planet (much less this island). If I was a tourist and came onto this website and read all the nasty xenophobic posts I wouldn’t think twice about not making BDA a vacation spot, especially when you can fell the deep seated hatred that you guys have for persons of different nationalities. So in the end you posters are a liability and a detriment to our tourism product and instead of running your mouths on a daily basis why don’t you actually become part of the solution you simple minded keyboard warriors.