Column: Robinson On Bermuda Tourism & More
[Opinion column written by MP Dwayne Robinson]
President Trump’s tariff announcement has caused the world to re-evaluate age-old alliances and trade agreements. While this is causing uncertainty and anxiety, it is crucial that legislators from all sides pull together to help Bermuda weather these difficult times. One of the best ways to do this is to figure out how to utilise these changes to our advantage. Our tourism industry can potentially find an increase in recovery in the face of these unfortunate global events and provide a buffer for employment in these changing times. We must also recognize that as global tensions rise, travelers will seek out destinations that are seen as neutral, safe, and welcoming.
Bermuda has an opportunity to brand itself as such—offering stability, warmth, and luxury to visitors who are increasingly wary of unpredictable travel climates.
One of the major shifts is travel and leisure, with many travelers opting out of visiting the United States. The anti-American travel sentiment continues to grow as President Trump engages in trade conflicts with his country’s closest allies. This can be an opportunity for Bermuda to re-introduce us to travelers on both sides of these global trade conflicts as a destination of choice. In the short term, we can focus our efforts on disenfranchised Canadian, European, and African travelers who are not looking to enter the USA at this time. We can also provide a quick trip for Americans who may want to keep their travels close to home for now but are looking for a warmer destination during their colder months. Additionally, we should aggressively market to the Latin American market, which has been expanding its luxury travel footprint. By tapping into these regions, we can create new visitor pipelines that diversify our tourism base and provide sustained economic growth. If these things are happening or in the works, they have my support. If not, we still have time to pivot.
I am happy to see that the BTA has reported higher visitor numbers and spending in 2024. This is good news, and we have a rare opportunity to build on that with the current traveling landscape. Air arrivals historically spend more and are more beneficial to the local economy. With so many reports of travelers looking for alternative travel locations and BermudAir extending its routes, we can position ourselves to catch these travelers looking for a new destination to experience. Marketing and advertising can get the people here, but we must also ensure they enjoy their stay, as repeat travelers are our best marketing weapon. This means investing in world-class customer service training, improving our hospitality infrastructure, and making sure that every visitor leaves with an unforgettable experience that they want to share.
The Government has made a good step in supporting tourism ventures through the Tourism Investment Act 2017, and its goal to expand it is welcomed. However, we should also invest in our recreational facilities and build up our conference and meeting facilities. Creating a multi-purpose entertainment venue, as was suggested in the OBA platform, is also a needed investment. To attract large concerts, provide more entertainment options, and provide a place to elevate our local creatives. Imagine an annual music, film, or cultural festival that puts Bermuda on the global stage—driving international media attention and solidifying our place as a must-visit destination for entertainment and culture. Better integration of our local artists and creatives into our tourism product and marketing is required, to provide a real Bermuda flavor to our visitors and grow a viable creative industry here on the island. We cannot hedge all our tourism recovery on the re-opening of Fairmont Southampton, though extremely important, it will require additional bed capacity and conference facilities to support it. Expanding our tourism product means more than hotels—it means culinary tourism, adventure tourism, wellness retreats, and sustainable eco-tourism that will attract a new generation of travelers.
This travel sentiment will most likely endure throughout the current President’s term, giving us some time to invest in a long-term facelift of our tourism product.
I have been very vocal about our flagship tourism entity, the Bermuda Tourism Authority. I have been critical but only to achieve the change we need to revitalize tourism in Bermuda. There must be more representation in our leading tourism entity of the tourism stakeholders that are on the frontline servicing our visitors and locals every day, who now feel unheard in the decision-making regarding their industry. Adding space for representation from our hotels, restaurants, taxi drivers, tour guides, vacation rentals, public transportation, performing artists, and other stakeholders who contribute to our tourism product is essential. A tourism advisory council made up of these industry experts could provide real-time feedback and innovative solutions to keep Bermuda competitive and responsive to global trends.
We require a unified approach to tourism and our transportation stakeholders to address our issues, improve our offerings, and ensure that transportation is a smooth experience for Bermudians and visitors. As it stands, tourism and transport lack an overarching vision from the leaders of our island, with no unifying method of operation to minimize service gaps. The industry has put forth suggestions and plans on how to begin fixing these issues. Bermuda Governments have a reputation for being reactive. Let’s be proactive in the face of adversity. More tourists, more income, higher earnings in the industry, and more Bermudians attracted to the industry. If we invest strategically, we can create a tourism ecosystem that supports entrepreneurship, fosters innovation, and provides career pathways for Bermudians beyond seasonal jobs. Tourism is worth so much more than one sentence in a throne speech—it could provide a safety net for what is to come.
- Dwayne Robinson, MP for Constituency 31 Southampton East Central & Shadow Minister for Tourism, Culture & Transport
Nothing said here is significant.
The bigger challenge to Bermuda marketing and being open for additional business is housing these guests and until the Fairmont Southampton is up and running there will only be minimal increases as we simply don’t have capacity. This is why the deal was so important to get done.
There’s a lot more bed space out there than you think….don’t believe everything you hear lol!
What is so important is for the hotel to get finished and open, if possible. The deal was far worse for taxpayers than the airport deal the PLP moan on about, or the ACW. Will the money be sufficient bearing in mind the increase in construction costs? Why didn’t Burt put price controls on the materials? Big error.
“Why didn’t Burt put price controls on the materials?”
(1) Because price controls do not work.
(2) Because most materials come from overseas and we cannot control the cost of materials in other counties.
Yes and agree, but I’m talking about the prices here. Considering there is one entity that controls the importation of aggregate and cement, it is a perfect opportunity to have a cost plus % set, monitored and controlled. Government keeps on about controlling food costs, which is impossible, but cement and aggregate is easy to control and would drop construction costs.
Mr Robinson ye you !
Every thing to day is about money we do not need to tell you over and overthat money controls everything .
Some our visitors come from a land of discounts , if the do not get a discounts they dont buy any thing
You could turn the Dockyard into a free port or do with out telling themsas they do it when we are no looking .
Bermudians have got to learn out how the try things out first before making policy or laws
failing that crash an burn .
some people think negative before Positive
Get permission to do things after its done an workin 101 .
Y ou can only drown a rat once .
IT IS ALL ABOIT RISK enough to keep you op at night .
Robingson . my man. it is not what you do is how you do.it
The high the wall the further upi have to jump . i have walked aro the side of a few
” When there is a will there is away .
you are a young man ! i thoughts . take the minister of Tourism out to lunch ian give him some references . you both could make the job easier .
Devision get us all no where ! lots of fdivision on the HILL .
A trick do not kick people out the door, help them ,and they will help you .
life is a two way street .
FREE PORT or NOTHING !
The discount is the import duty in a bonded ware house that’s the store proper to look like and set up as ware house . sell what the cruise ship do not have and Front Street did have ..
DOCKYARD IS UNDER USED wider used to work there i went ro school there
the is two story building in the vitteling yard the need a roof lost in a fire So fix it .
Was all that lot insured ?????
Get Marine and Ports some where to go put their opperation in ” Sally port ” through the tunnel
Robinson dis you know the whole of Dockyard is under solar power this old power station has long gone
taxi driver need insentives .