Video: “Seven Habits Of Highly Effective BTA”

January 7, 2015

Bermuda Tourism Authority [BTA] CEO Bill Hanbury addressed the Rotary Club of Hamilton meeting held at the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club yesterday [Jan 6], speaking to the audience about “seven habits of a highly effective BTA.”

The slides used in Mr. Hanbury’s presentation outlined the “seven habits of a highly effective BTA” as moving from a seasonal to a year-round destination, geographically identify Bermuda as an Atlantic vs. Caribbean destination, don’t boil the ocean, embrace 21st century marketing, emphasize British and island soul, celebrate the real Bermuda and its people, and global visitors desire sports and recreational experiences.”

A slideshow showing the slides Mr. Hanbury displayed is below [PDF here]


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In saying that the BTA should geographically identify Bermuda as an Atlantic instead of a Caribbean destination, the presentation stressed the differences between the regions by noting that Bermuda has, “Different seasons, a more moderate climate, typically less severe weather, shorter flight times from all key markets, and a different consumer experience.”

In saying we should “celebrate the real Bermuda and its people,” the presentation said the BTA plans to “invest in and nurture Bermuda arts, culture, history and cuisine,” with “no more ‘invented’ events not reflecting Bermuda’s true heritage.”

45 minute video of Mr. Hanbury’s full speech:

“The right balance between cruise and air visitors is required for an equitable and thriving tourism industry. However, we receive the vast majority of our income from air arrivals,” the slideshow presentation noted.

Noting that, in 2013, for each $1 spent by cruise visitors, air visitors spent $11, the BTA submits that, “It’s necessary to increase cruise passenger expenditures and simultaneously increase air arrivals, the organization’s top priority.”

The slides also noted the BTA’s plan to market to the upper-end of the personas, position Bermuda as a quality destination for discriminating consumers, and “waste no marketing assets selling to audiences that won’t buy Bermuda.”

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Comments (20)

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  1. Thomas says:

    Hotel in the Caribbean with food and drinks $200.

    Hotel in Bermuda with no food or drinks $350 PLUS +

    Anyone, anyone?

    I just gave you the answer to Bermuda’s Tourism problems for free.
    What many people already know but refuse to tell the truth about.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhiCFdWeQfA

    • flikel says:

      I have to disagree. There are destinations more expensive than Bermuda, who are doing well.

      The price, alone, is not a deterrent as people will pay more….but they also expect more. Our problem is not the price, rather we do not provide the expected level of service. Nor do we provide the entertainment options as other destinations.

      Also why do we constantly tout our proximity to the US as an advantage over our Caribbean competitors? The days of arriving at an airport 45 minutes before flight departure and being whisked through security are over. These days, you need to arrive hours before your flight; so does it really matter if the actual flight is 2 hours when half of your day is reserved for travelling anyway? People are not choosing the 2 hour flight to Bermuda over the 4 hour flight somewhere else.

      • Black Soil says:

        Dear Thomas. Bermuda is working to be the best 5-star destination in the Atlantic. The islands down south are 1 to 3 star destinations. So they charge less. This may sound foreign to you, but people with $$ will pay WAY more money for quality.

        • Wrong, wrong, wrong says:

          Bermuda has been working long before Mr. Hanbury arrived here. The only increase I see will be 2017 for the America’s Cup. 2014 was a failure so will 2015 and 2016.

          Everyone has their own theory, so why has none of the investments worked? People only pay what they can afford that’s why. This is not rocket science it’s simple 101 math freshmen

    • Bermudian Thinker says:

      This is by far the stupidest argument. When people like yourselves comment on hotel rates and make statements, such as Lets make it cheaper. How will you do that?………

      Hotels do not put the rates high to keep people from coming to them. This is what it costs to operate a hotel in Bermuda. Sure we can make hotel room rates cheaper, that means that the industry with that has the second largest number of employees would have to cut the wages of every single person in order to do that. This would effect everyone, less spending in grocery stores, less taxes, I could go on but you get the point. Bermuda is an expensive place to live and thus price of labour is high and so is everything else. Therefore the prices reflect the cost.

      Yeah sure Mexico has better rates and what could be seen as better service, but hey don’t drink the water, don’t go into the towns or leave the resort. There are greater incidences of tourist crimes, kidnappings, murders. There are also people begging for your every dollar. Bermuda does not have that and you pay the premium for that. Just like your house, you pay more for a house that has view, in a nice neighborhood, like a gated community. Bermuda is the worlds Gated community and it is more expensive because of it. There are people that want what we have and I think that the BTA is in the midst or aligning their marketing to attract these people. To discuss price is silly, there is absolutely nothing we can do about it, unless you want to talk to the unions to reduce pay or reduce number of staff needed.

      How about we provide value, we up our game, we provide better service and show why we are the best destination in the world. We can do it, we have to!

  2. stunned... says:

    ok abc…fish where the fish are.
    123…ensure the product is quality before you market it to discerning customers.
    do-re-me…be authentic. the tourism plan is to embrace our Britishness while certain parties are advocating independence and release from our Britishness. smh

    • PBanks says:

      To be fair, there’s no reason that the desire from some residents to become an independent nation, should have any impact on promoting the island’s British heritage and appearances. Both concepts can exist; after all most visitors here wouldn’t be concerned about local politics.

      • stunned... says:

        agreed both concepts can exist…key word – which one is “authentic”? does it matter? who are we as Bermudians and what do we represent?

  3. street wise says:

    Bermuda lost it’s “Britishness” soon after American Television arrived here in the early 70s. Who are they trying to kid? IMHO there’s nothing British about Bermuda anymore.

    • stunned... says:

      ah…exactly!

    • Triangle Drifter says:

      That is what I thought too but I had plenty of clients making the ‘Britishness’ remark.

      One thing that we did do right was keep McDonalds & the rest of the fast food out. Well…with the exception of KFC, but that is up Queen St where few visitors go.

      What is special is what Bermuda does not have, fast food being one thing, no vendors hassling people on the beach for trinkets another.

  4. Scotty says:

    And the BTA successful initiatives to date are…?????
    Every accomplishment to date belongs to some other entity. Just loved the ‘no government ‘intervention’. Did someone forget the peoples tax dollars paid to Government that continues to support this expensive Authority. Please, please cut the BS and give us an honest to God report card of the BTA accomplishments to date.

    • Slinky says:

      I have two questions:
      1) How much is the CEO being paid?
      2) When will the CEO spot be taken by a local?

  5. Lick My Chicken says:

    Hire people who know what they’re doing. That’s a start.

  6. fedup says:

    “Bermuda lost it’s “Britishness” soon after American Television arrived here in the early 70s.”

    uh, it was in the 40′s

  7. flikel says:

    What derailed tourism is the cancellation or non focus on College Weeks. We take great pride in having repeat visitors, however a good proportion of these repeat visitors first came here during Spring Break or College Weeks.

    Back in the ‘hey day’, we had lots of students coming, there were vibrant parties every night, lacrosse tournaments, all sorts of games and parities on the beach….yes, they often wrecked hotel rooms and caused disturbances, but these students later returned as high income working professionals.

    We turned our nose to them, acted as if we didn’t need their business, College Weeks/Spring Break was beneath our high class jurisdiction…..now we are suffering the consequences.

    • Lick My Chicken says:

      Boy have the times changed, and now we’re crying because we can use every visitor possible. SMH

  8. ….Surely you jest. says:

    Dr. Brown 2005 : we’re no longer going to be seasonal in our approach to tourism; the Nov to March period will be golf and spa and we can make it work. RESPONSE: boooo…hisss….how dumb….boooo

    Bill Hanbury 2015: we’re no longer going to be seasonal in our approach to tourism; during the Nov to March period we’ll do sports, emphasise golf, history and culture. RESPONSE: ooh, ahhhh, all hail great sage from beyond the seas; where would we be without you to save us.

    Go figure…..

    • SMH says:

      Is this the same Dr. Brown behind the $20million over spend on Port Royal and promised a bunch of new hotels were immiment but nothing happened? Good point of reference for a comparison.

  9. Axlerod says:

    Nothing has changed since the election. Bermuda still borrowing $260 mil a year, debt pile growing higher. country will run out of money in 18 months. Snap election will be called – OBA needs mandate to borrow another $800 mil that we need to run the bloated government, and pay back the debt coming due by 2018. Bermudians are screwed!

    OBA, PLP, does not matter who is in power…..bottom line is BDA government controlled by civil servants and vested interest business class who simply can’t bare the thought of cutting spending and getting to a smaller sustainable government. Hurts their pockets….so we keep borrowing.

    No growth no time soon. Many re-insurance companies will go out of business next year or soon their after as too much capital at too low rates is a disaster for the industry. unemployment still too high for the economy to grow. Birth rate has collapsed pushing population growth rate to near zero. Disaster for economic growth potential.

    America’s cup will amount to 3 months of economic activity….hardly enough to move the needle on a $4.5 billion economy. Governments tax take will be small….not enough to pay interest for one year! OBA too afraid to ask HSBC to move on and let the the economy refloat….and ….too afraid of independence to move the country forward. Final nail in coffin is CUBA. Americans will floc there in droves….killing whats left of Bermuda and Bahamas tourism. BTA is a scam…resurecting same strategies that were in place for the last 25 years is not genius. I want my money back Bill…you sir are over paid!!

    I have a better idea….lets fire 1,000 civil servants, 333 per year for next 3 years. Lets raise taxes – all categories. Let’s roll back civil service pensions and health care benefits and let raise standards in public school by one grades curricular across the 12 year spectrum (i.e. what we teach in P-two would now be taught in P-One!)

    Finally let’s release Town of St. George from being a dead museum stuck in the 1940′s and raze it COMPLETELY and build a brand new town with new residences and commercial real-estate developments. Bermuda’s current ruling elite very weak-minded and non-competitive!