Video: Tourism, Entrepreneurs & Job Growth
In a television programme debuting today [Dec 14], the Bermuda Tourism Authority [BTA] explains its desire for more amenities at Bermuda’s public beaches in order to meet the demands of visitors.
“Earlier this year, the BTA formed an internal Beach Economy Working Group to come up with strategies to balance new entrepreneurial activities on the shoreline with environmental sensitivities. In the New Year, recommendations will be presented to the Ministry of Public Works, which has oversight of Bermuda’s beaches,” the BTA said.
“All of our major competitors have better beach products than we have – at least when it comes to amenities,” said BTA CEO Bill Hanbury, who is leading the BTA’s working group. “Our competitors don’t have the same kind of beaches we have – we have the best beaches in the world – but we don’t have amenities on those beaches. We need to change that.
“It’s an opportunity for young Bermudian entrepreneurs to create jobs and generate economic impact for the country.”
Andy Burrows, the BTA’s chief investment officer, who also sits on the working group, said: “You can go to many places in the world where they have very successful, sustainable beach economies. I think we can do the same thing here, but we have to come together and do it in a long-term, sustainable and economic way.”
The comments on Bermuda’s beach economy are made in the BTA’s public affairs programme called “Tourism Forward”. It airs on local television at 8pm today and is also available online below.
Tourism Forward Episode: Entrepreneurs & Job Growth
“The internal working group is using consumer data research to guide its purpose. Members of the group have also met with a cross-section of local beach concessionaires to gather their input,” the BTA added.
“BTA officials support the idea that meeting visitors’ expectations do not necessarily require new construction on undeveloped beaches, but enhancing existing beach concession facilities is a must. Entrepreneurs would be tasked with providing the services and putting people to work.”
“Whether it’s a restaurant, whether it’s a cabana, whether it’s a snorkel shop on the beach or providing umbrellas and towels, those kinds of economic opportunities we believe should be pursued by government and we think it can be done where you properly balance the economy and properly balance the environment,” Mr Hanbury said.
The light just came on. Clear Water, Fort St. Catherine, Warwick Long Bay, Somerset Long Bay, and the list goes on, have no facilities to attract locals or visitors. No sanitation, no food, no drinks,no shelter, etc.
International companies should not and will not invest until those who live here are prepared to invest.
Best wishes.
Are you F!@#ing SERIOUS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
$1000,00 a day and an $80,000 bogus bonus to tell us what we ALREADY know, and what has already been discussed and opposed.
Everybody talking bout crime, but tell me who are the criminals.
Peter Tosh (Equal Rights and Justice)
Yes indeed…..it is all stuff that we already knew about and that the last Govt did nothing about. Now we are doing something about it. Eat them apples.
You keep trying to push that narrative…
Has anyone actually taken the bait?
Prove me wrong.
Well said Bill Hanbury….
BEACH OPPORTUNITIES…. YES YES
CAR RENTALS for hotel visitors – a must – we are losing so many visitors over not renting cars.
SAME SEX MARRIAGE – when Bermuda makes this legal (it’s coming) Bermuda will see a huge bonanza in a new segment of the traditional wedding business. YES Pink Weddings are Big Business.
As for SPORTS – I have pushed and pushed for a BEACH TENNIS facility at Horseshoe Bay.
Whilst Aruba, St. Maarten, St. Barths are all exploding with BEACH TENNIS – Bermuda simply has not taken on what I was building over 8 years…….
I hope that we can make this happen ……
We must somehow spur the GAMING COMMISSION to allow for one license in time for the 2017 AMERICAS CUP…..
BERMUDA should also create a TAX FREE ZONE for the ARTS
By doing this we can really step up the entertainment offerings.
A tax free zone benefits the employers and the artists.
Hotels absolutely need to step up the presentation & production with proper staging, sound, lights and video.
All the cruise ships coming here have state of the art entertainment facilities – IF on island tourism entertainment is to survive and indeed thrive, then Bermuda’s hotels and bars need to step it up.
The days of telling a band “Go set up in the corner” are simply not cutting it….
I await with bated breath to hear of progress on this very subject.
Sorry Tony , I know you have a lot of good ideas and are committed to the rebuilding of tourism but I am totally 100% against any notion of car rentals .
You’re old enough to remember our tourism heyday , and what was one of the main attractions ?
Our peace and quiet and lack of traffic .
Since the early 80′s we’ve become that overdeveloped , concretized , motor cars everywhere parking lot that Joanie Mitchell (I believe it was ) once sang about.
We are now nothing but traffic and urban sprawl and the traffic is hostile to put it mildly. Our own success has killed us .
Speak to any visitor who rents a cycle while here and they will all tell you that the traffic is far worse than they would have ever imagined and they hate it . ‘Quiet unhurried paradise ? ‘ .. a complete lie .
More cars will only further destroy our image in their eyes , even if it’s them behind the wheel.
Hell , there’s already a simmering road rage factor at play amongst the locals . How do you think they’ll respond to rental cars who will be competing for their already limited road space and parking spots ?
If the argument is all about safety then make it mandatory that they have a valid motor cycle license before they can rent a scooter.
After all , we , and no-one else can go to their country and rent a car without a valid (car ) driver’s license .
NO to car rentals , period . It sounds all well and nice but only the very stupid and short sighted would think that it would in any way enhance our product .
I guess you want a Cherry Grove Beach here too?
F!@#ing nasty European habits !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“F!@#ing nasty European habits”
nice language
You must be one of those ‘filthy’ Europeans.
I would support the idea of introducing rental cars for tourists. It would have to be a limit imposed on how many could be licensed but it’s definitely a good idea.
Who really wants to pay for an expensive taxi or wait in the hot sun for a bus that might not even come? Better yet who really wants to rent a “death trap” moped?
It’s time for change and we need offer more services for our guests. Our competition is leaving us behind.
And how would we limit the amount of them once we opened that Pandora’s box ?
Let’s assume that 150 were initially allowed . When they’re gone and more people still want one what do we say ? Furthermore we’re already a grossly overpriced fully mature destination way past its ‘best by date’ for what we charge . You can rent a car in the US for less than a scooter costs here , so can you imagine the howling when they see the cost of a rental auto ? And for what the price would probably be they’d be expecting an S class Mercedes , not some little class A Indian made wheelbarrow with a lawn mower engine (by their standards) in it .
NO , the auto car completely changed Bermuda even though when they were first introduced it was thought that there’d be no more than maybe 1000 of them , ever .
We already have one of the highest traffic densities per square mile in the world and it’s killed our appeal as a restful , peaceful place. Allowing even more to appease a few tourists is not going to help in the long run in one single way . It’s not a good idea , it’s a terribly bad , and shortsighted idea .
Upgrade and permanently fix our long existing ground transportation issues in terms of reliable service and cost and such brainless ideas won’t be necessary .
And to add to Toodle-oo how would we figure out insurance, coverage when one of those tourists gets drunk and knocks me off my bike, etc. Insurance companies aren’t gonna take the hit and rental places aren’t gonna start charging more to accompany this. I’m a SOLID NO to renting cars to tourists.
Somehow , a long time ago , the cycle rental companies came up with some agreement with TCD and the insurance companies in terms of accident coverage in terms of their overall business model and how they could pass the associated costs on to the customer where the customer did not need a valid motor cycle license. The tourists are told they have ‘local insurance’ when in fact the rental companies are collecting a repair waiver on each rental because they have no remit to sell insurance . Over time those rental waivers accumulate and are supposed to cover odd repairs or a rarer total vehicle loss .
However , if you hit a curb on your rental bike or have a little single vehicle accident whilst doing 35kph (haha) it only costs $100 or so to fix a little plastic .
As for car repairs , I’ve recently seen dented bonnets or fenders , no broken lights or mirrors , costing thousands of dollars to repair , when in the old days it would have been a $100 fix.
Your question of insurance is a valid concern and would surely make the rental cost of a car even more exorbitant , not to mention , as I said earlier, the impact on our environment both for locals and visitors.
How people can think this is a wonderful idea on this already over congested , over expensive island is beyond me .
I like the idea of renting small class A cars only to hotel guests. Not all would rent cars and it would be safer. I don’t see the negatives being a big problem. We either adapt and change – or not. I don’t see that allowing rental cars to hotel guests would change the overall experience in a bad way. It would just be another amenity and we would get used to it very quickly.
This is week 4 of the BTA propoganda on what they do. BTA keeps handing out up to $75,000 to a local to start a business too attract visitors and we don’t have the visitors to support the business. Locals(taxpayers)are supporting businesses they paid for courtesy of the BTA. BTA needs to concentrate on putting heads-in-the-bed so there will be enough visitor spending to support these various ventures or adventures. BTA is getting off track on what their mission is or should be.
elementary, Watson
Beach ideas have been put on the table for years so Hanbury don’t act like this is a brand new idea.
He’s not saying it’s a new idea. It has been talked about for years, we all know that don’t we. His job is the identity and execute. I am confident he will achieve what others have only talked about up until now.
Hanbury. Always making sure he gets his $1,000 dollar a day pay.