Comments on: BTA Release First Quarter Tourism Statistics

By: You are right

You are right — Fri, 10 May 2019 10:21:11 +0000

Good points you have made. Sports tourists don’t spend a lot of money other than to attend the sport event! Time to start hosting some mega entertainment events that run over extended periods to attract the real spenders. What you got in your pocket Zane?

By: Eve

Eve — Thu, 09 May 2019 12:28:37 +0000

A number of the hotels are already offering 3rd. & 4th. night free packages which isn’t having much success. BTA has been concentrating on Sports Tourism which gives locals something to watch but does not bring in visitors who come for holiday/vacation. BTA brings in large numbers of “influencers” who get a free trip for a couple of pics and sentences about Bermuda to their social media followers. BTA is headed down the same path as the Bermuda Department of Tourism took and see where that ended, out in de bay.

By: Don’t worry

Don’t worry — Thu, 09 May 2019 01:32:16 +0000

That’s correct! Cruise ships are great but those people don’t spend money in stores, bars or restaurants as the cruise ship sells then a drink package and food galore on board which they already paid for!

We need people to stay on island so start offering the 5th night free or a return visit within 3 months gets a night free. Something to get them to stay on Island

By: campervan

campervan — Wed, 08 May 2019 23:23:23 +0000

Why is air capacity down?
Is this possibly a reason that we have lost leisure visitors? (travellers cannot get on flights because of limited seating)
Were the contracts with the various carriers renewed correctly and in a timely manor when they came up for re signing when the new government took the helm?

By: Eve

Eve — Wed, 08 May 2019 22:57:28 +0000

Statistics show that leisure air travel by North American’s is higher than it has been in the past decade which should raise concern about BTA’s sales/marketing schemes. The Pink Sale and Splash Sale were both failures in 2018 and when traveler’s pass on a “sale” that should have told the BTA they were not reaching their target. Poor percentage of return by hotels on rooms is another warning sign that cannot be overlooked. Vacation rentals and cruise ships require minimal marketing effort by BTA. Increase in cruisers won’t carry Bermuda tourism!!!!

By: Bermudian Thinker

Bermudian Thinker — Wed, 08 May 2019 20:38:18 +0000

I believe this says Air, and he mentions Cruise, no?

By: Joe Bloggs

Joe Bloggs — Wed, 08 May 2019 19:40:26 +0000

“Leisure air visitor spending and leisure air visitor arrivals were down by single-digit percentages year-over-year, according to new Bermuda Tourism Authority data released today, marking the first down quarter for leisure air visitor spending and arrivals since the fourth quarter of 2015.”

I could have sworn the Hon. Wayne Furbert was saying quite the opposite just a last week (http://bernews.com/2019/05/live-video-minister-furbert-press-conference)