The political party pointing to their Economic Policy for an alternative
The Free Democratic Movement (FDM) taking the Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) to task, calling the organisation ‘bloated’ and ‘ineffective’. This after the BTA released their 2024 Fourth Quarter tourism numbers.
According to the executive summary, leisure air visitors for the year topped-out at 139,546, up 15.2% from 2023. Those leisure air visitors spent a total of $300.13 million dollars in that same period, a year-over-year increase of 27% from 2023.
The FDM believes that they offer an alternative, as outlined in their Economic Policy: “We will make it easier for local entrepreneurs to conduct business on government-owned land such as Dockyard and other under-utilised spaces. This includes simplifying the process for vendors allowed in popular tourist locations.”
The Bermuda Tourism Authority declined to comment on the FDM’s criticisms.
New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Canada, the United Kingdom and Washington DC were listed in the BTA’s report as Bermuda’s top travel markets for leisure air visitors. The FDM took issue with Bermuda’s tourism industry relying heavily on the United States East Coast:
“Bermuda’s over reliance on the U.S. East Coast market remains a glaring weakness, marking long-term growth unsustainable. The BTA touts digital marketing campaigns and airline partnerships, yet these efforts have failed to expand Bermuda’s visitor base or diversify its tourism product. The BTA remains a bloated and ineffective entity that does not justify its budget.”
The FDM calling on the dismantling of the tourism organisation, replacing it with “a privately led Tourism Stakeholders’ Council, ensuring marketing and innovation efforts are industry driven and financially sustainable.”
Following Premier David Burt’s meeting with FDM leader Marc Bean last week, it’s yet to be seen if the Government will consider the political party’s proposals.
