A group from St. George’s will present their ideas and lessons on how tourism can be revived in the town based on their findings during a trip to Virginia.

Led by St George’s North MP Kenneth Bascome, the delegation included Mayor of St George Garth Rothwell, Deputy Mayor Quinell Francis, Common Councillor Elizabeth Christopher, Corporation of St George Superintendent Shannon Outerbridge, St George’s Economic Empowerment Zone Officer Ray Lambert, St. George’s Foundation Executive Director Dr. Charlotte Andrews and Development Director Kristin White, and St George and Hamilton town criers David Frith and Ed Christopher.

Early in March the group toured Virginia’s Historic Triangle of heritage and cultural tourism sites — Jamestown, Yorktown and Williamsburg.

The aim was to examine their heritage management and cultural tourism methods compared with those employed by St George’s.

“We’ve brought home creative and practical ideas for the Cultural Tourism Plan of the World Heritage site and town,” said SGF executive director Dr. Charlotte Andrews. “Borrowing from these successful overseas attractions is appropriate given the intertwined histories of Bermuda and Virginia and the resulting similarities of our sites, artefacts and other cultural resources.

“The trip also clarified where we might depart from these models and forge our own path, especially given Bermuda’s smaller scale and that St George’s is both ‘the real thing’ and a living town.”

The group will speak at Penno’s Wharf Ferry Terminal in St. George’s at 7pm on Thursday 19 June.