Bermuda can expect improvements in tourism within the next three to six months, according to the new CEO of the Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA), Bill Hanbury.

Sitting alongside BTA chairman David Dodwell and Minister of Tourism Development Shawn Crockwell, Mr Hanbury — in his first public appearance since taking the job — said digital marketing and social media would be the first aspects of tourism to be addressed and, in turn, reap results.

“I do think within the next three to six months you’re going to see some results. I think you’re going to start to see some clicks up on hotel occupancy, and on Bermuda’s exposure to the world.

“I think that can be accomplished by doing some things that are perhaps fundamental to what the marketplace demands, particularly around digital applications and social media. I don’t think we’re hitting on all eight cylinders there. I think we can do much better in that arena and I think doing much better in that arena early on will actually give us some early wins, and will affect the economy in the first year of my tenure here. You’re going to see some improvements there.”

The biggest challenge facing Bermuda tourism, according to Mr Hanbury, was reminding the world just how “magnificent” the Island is.

While he admitted internal “fixes” were needed, Mr Hanbury said it was the marketing of Bermuda that matters the most to him.

“I believe if you ask me for one particular thing, it’s about the marketing and sale of Bermuda to the world. I realise there’s some fixes to be had on product and experiences, and those are important, but the success of Bermuda will be driven by how well we market ourselves to the world.

“I look at the product [of Bermuda] and I think to myself, oh, my goodness, what an extraordinary place! Our number one challenge is to let the world know about that. We need to get more media here. We need to get more media to cover it. I think those will be early wins for us that will impact the economy, almost right away.”

A self-described “marketing guy”, Mr Hanbury said he saw Bermuda as a luxury product and should be marketed as such towards an ever increasing number of wealthy Americans.

“I really believe we need to go to the luxury marketplace and do whatever we can to encourage people and spur on people in that particular segment because so much of that matches up with the products we have on the ground. I also would say we have to build products that can go to a wider swathe of the marketplace too.”

Mr Crockwell and Mr Dodwell said they would not reveal Mr Hanbury’s salary as CEO.

“We are in the process of hiring other executives and staff positions right now. If any of those applicants were informed that the details of their remuneration were going to be revealed by the media, many of them would probably walk away from their application. The BTA has set very high standards of ethics within its charter and the confidentiality of employment contracts is important. The BTA intends to honour those agreements. The BTA is a private enterprise and the issue of salary and benefits is a matter between employer and employee.”