Entertaining the tourists

The Department of Tourism has done a good job this year in increasing the number of things for our visitors to do on an evening. However, one of the things that struck me while showing some members of my family around the Island last week was the odd scheduling of these events.

Monday evenings have had the Flatts Village Festival; on Tuesdays there was Destination Dockyard, Tony N' Tina's Wedding and St. George's Market Night; and Wednesdays have offered the Gombey Carnival Beach Fete at Horseshoe Bay and Hamilton Harbour Nights. Yet there's been nothing on Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday evenings. Why didn’t the Department spread out these events?

The answer: because they were designed primarily for our cruise ship visitors. In fact, the events were co-designed by the cruise lines. They were loaded into the first three days of the week because the ships leave on Thursdays.

According to Tourism Minister Dr. Ewart Brown, however, next year the activities will be expanded into the end of the week. His advice to me? “Invite your family back next year”.

Comments

[jake on 18.09.05 at 14:32]

And I hope you do.

It sounds like we are tweaking a product and hopefully we will get it better as we go forward. For all our sakes.

[Big Bad Wolf ^..^ on 18.09.05 at 14:49]

There is no product to tweak.All events are not that well supported by visiting tourists.The hotels and the industry itself have to entertain and develop much better on island tourist activities. Bermuda tax payers are funding the Bermuda tourism entertainment program and it is helpful but not the complete answer. One thing is certain Arnold advertising have been terrible.We have not had a good advertising agency that understands Bermuda Tourism for decades.Results have continued to be a falling red line of tourists and income.We should really be honest...Bermuda Its beautiful but Its boring!

[Full Fullish on 18.09.05 at 15:25]

I tend to agree with you BBW, for the most part. This being said, at least it's a start though and attempts are being made. While Harbour nights, which is very supported by the tourists, along with the St. Georges Market night, this is the first year, to my knowledge, that the other events have taken place. At least something is in the works, these products need a bit more advertising and "tweaks" though, but it is something.

I've been saying for years that Bermuda is boring for tourists. We spent so many years pandering explusively to the older more mature tourist. While it seemed like a good idea as these tourists had the $$$ and were more estabilised in life, it was a shrt sighted solution. The problem with this, excuse me for being blunt here, is that these tourists are now getting older and more unwilling to travel, or worse. Now the next generation of toursists, who have never really been made, for lack of a better word, welcome or pandered to dont' have much of a desire to come here, even though they are now at the demographic age of the tourists we were once pandering to.

Marketing 101 - Clasic example of long term strategy was the Pepsi Adds "The choice for a new generation!". Same thing applies, they went after the younger generation knowing full well that they would get hooked on the product and they would have them for life. It was a brilliant idea and it worked. We need to follow suit. I was most pleased to see the addition of a water park at the old Sonesta (Windham). We should have had one years ago, we ARE surrounded by water after all, put it to use (save some for the reverse osmosis of course!). We need more activities like this which appeal to the young at heart. We have enough talent here to satisfy both the younger and older generations.

[ace on 18.09.05 at 16:36]

Bring back college weeks.

They were our biggest marketing draw for generation after generation.

Spend the money to compete with Florida and Mexico during the spring break weeks and it will pay dividends for many many years.

[John on 18.09.05 at 16:40]

In their Autumn sale, British Airways are today offering flights to Bermuda for 420 British Pounds. This is a very rare event; a price which I could not get near to this time last year. Is it a further message to Mr Brown.

[Two Cents on 18.09.05 at 18:46]

Ace,

You have the right idea....bring back collage weeks.

With the latest pay-to-play fiasco, it has in a lot of peoples minds, proven once and for all that the Dept of Tourism under David Allen, Renne Webb, and Dr. Brown's watch had done little or nothing to improve Bermuda’s tourism future. I can almost predict with great certainty that this will be blamed totally on the tragic events of September 11th 2001, Terrorism, the Iraq War,and now Hurricane Katrina. In reality our tourism future under this current regime was “dead” a long time before this date.

It is my contention that a major downfall in the tourism market in Bermuda was the cancellation of College Weeks, and failure of David Allen, Renee Webb, And Dr Ewart Brown to reinstitute them

Spring Break was traditionally the first of many "stepping stones" that our visitors took in building a lifelong relationship with Bermuda. After one (or more) College Weeks spent in Bermuda, these potential lifelong visitors often returned to the island for honeymoons, conventions, family vacations, etc…..I can clearly remember meeting couples here on their honeymoon who told us “we met in Bermuda at Rum Runners during college weeks”

An exit survey of over 2,000 college students was taken in 1984 & 1985 for a class in College during the last "real" College Weeks held in Bermuda, all the following points which were noted were ignored by the then government when they received their findings.
N.B It was the UBP who cancelled College Weeks, therefore cutting off our visitors first introduction to Bermuda, BUT The PLP have also refused to listen to requests to start College Weeks again.

Key Questions Asked in the Survey:
1. Satisfaction with College Weeks – YES 85% (this number was up drastically from the previous year).

2. Do you consider Bermuda value for money?? - YES 88+%

3. Would you consider returning to the island YES 90% …This number was also higher from previous years.

The government in the late 90’s tried to institute a College Weeks Sports based package, which failed miserably, the major sports it targeted were Lacrosse, Soccer, Track & Field and Tennis. The reason in my mind these failed is because these sports are taken more seriously by it's athletes (I remember speaking to Lacrosse players who came here for 6 days, and they spent 5 of them either training or playing matches which left only "hours" for sightseeing, beaching, shopping and bar hopping & nightclubbing (entertainment). Had this package been marketed towards college rugby teams (both mens & womens)- particularly from New England, College Weeks would have faired a lot better. Perhaps a college rugby tournament similar to the World Rugby Classic would be the answer.

Also I feel that The Dept Of Tourism's usual plan of sending the "Bermuda Strollers, Gombeys, and lately the Bermuda Regiment Band" overseas as marketing whenever possible is stupid; these marketing ideas are somewhat passé.

Had we sent bands similar to Tropical Heat &/or The Kennel Boys/Duty Free, in the late 80's / early 1990’s more of a "party atmosphere" would have been portrayed, which would be a further inducement for College students to travel to Bermuda.

Also there must be in place a government incentive policy for hotels, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, etc who lower prices for College Weeks, giving a room at a competitive, but fair price.
Instead of competing with each other, the hotels, restaurants, bars & nightclubs MUST band together forming an alliance that once corporate sponsorship is obtained, will prove to be the “ building blocks” on which Bermuda Spring Break will be based. By obtaining corporate sponsorship from local companies (bars & restuarants), Beer & Liquor companies (in the US and locally) as well as hotels & guesthouses, they would be able to demand that the Dept of Tourism puts their money where their mouth is and join our alliance or have egg on their faces after they refuse.

We have suffered, I feel for far too long, at the hands of incompetents, and people promoted way beyond their experience & knowledge. Businessmen & women should take this into their hands, and rejuvenate Spring Break, giving ourselves and our families a tourism future to be look forward to. It is also important to note that the “axperts” that we need are sitting right here amongst us, there is no real need to spend millions on consultants and advisors.

Who knows Bermuda’s tourism & tourists better than those in the industry? In closing, I feel that if something is not done, and done soon, the bleak “winter” months that we now feel are going to become 10-11 months long, so consequently we have nothing to lose. This will take hard work and long hours, which is something that most of us are used to already. This extra push is something that the island needs and deserves..... TO BE RE-ESTABLISHED AS A TOURIST DESTINATION THAT PEOPLE LOVE TO COME TO.

[Ethiops on 18.09.05 at 20:29]

Tourism died when Ronnie boy went into office, which was the sametime funny enough that weed went from 8 spliffs for $5.00 to $25.00 for three. Many at a street level are more than equip to draw a chart of the decline of tourist since that era. I grew up with the stories from the UBP on how they were gearing to upscale markets. Yet the hotel empty rooms showed no signs of them.
Legalize the weed and let middle class tourist back in to find their own form of entertainment like they've always done before we lost them to our neighbouring islands. Bring back the beer drinking weed smoking fornicators...

[Two Cents on 19.09.05 at 09:24]

Phil,

Shouldn't these last few posts all tie into one theme? Entertainment / Casual Dining / Beach Bars...All of these need work.

By creating a Tourism Authority I think these topics wouldn't be allowed to stay undeveloped, and it would be a step in the right direction

[ruby tuesday on 19.09.05 at 10:04]

I applaud Brown for his ability to be lazy, cynical and arrogant in a handful of words.

[Observer on 19.09.05 at 11:56]

As an FYI, all Summer long, the Snorkel Park in Dockyard has been featuring live music on Tuesday & Thursday nights. On Tuesday nights (after Destination Dockyard), the musical duo "Presige" entertains from approx. 9:30 pm - 1:00 am. On Thursday nights, the reggae group "Jahstice" can be found there during the same hours. Both of these groups are very talented & professional. Limey, it's a shame you weren't able to take your guests there to enjoy it. They provide exactly what visitors want to see; local musical artists in a tropical setting.

[charles on 20.09.05 at 14:10]

Bermuda long ago forgot who it was that kept them in business (The MIDDLECLASS TOURIST).

When you had people stating that they no longer wanted the COKE AND HOT DOG CROWD that used to stay in your hotels and go to your clubs well they went out and found someplace else that does want them. And guess what! Have they ever, Can you say Aruba, Bahamas, Barbado's, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Domenican Republic? Just about everywhere else on this planet EXCEPT BERMUDA!!!!!!!!!

Now we hear everyone complaining that everyone left and no one knows how to shut off the lights now that the party is over.

To this day you rarely see or hear any advertising of Bermuda except for the occasional cruise BUT Charlie from Aruba is blasting over the airwaves with regularity and guess where the people are going!

Face it Bermuda, your over priced and your market has just about dried up. Airfares are ridiculous, I can go to Hawaii for less. Even people with means WON'T pay exorbitant fares(they didn't make their money by being stupid)to Bermuda when they can go to the riviera for the same or less.

Lastly; Observer is correct the Snorkel Park gig is really worth attending as it is a great night out BUT what else is there? Daytime is adequate but nighttime should be for more than sleeping. Maybe someday the powers that be will figure this out, but until then How do I get to Barbado's

[Tiger Bay on 20.09.05 at 16:15]

He may be wildly ineffective as tourism minister but he looks good, sounds good

http://tinyurl.com/9jpyw

and, damn, he's having a good time at our expense.