Major change in the running of Bermuda’s tourism industry could come with the new One Bermuda Alliance (OBA) Government.OBA had said that setting up a professional, accountable Tourism Authority was one of its immediate priorities and a spokesman said this week that had not changed.In the run-up to the election, the OBA said its plan to revive the troubled tourism industry included: “Move with urgency in the first six months to put professionals, rather than politicians, in charge of our tourism industry by setting up a professional, results-oriented and accountable Tourism Authority to rejuvenate tourism, and create jobs.”It was an idea the PLP (Progressive Labour Party) balked at, but the Chamber of Commerce chair of the newly formed Tourism Division, Peter Wilson, said yesterday they would welcome such an Authority.“I believe that politicians can facilitate change but should be wary of trying to do it themselves,” said Mr Wilson, who is spearheading the proposed CUT sports and entertainment complex in the West End.“I very much agree with the idea of a professional, results-oriented and accountable Tourism Authority. We need to focus on results to generate both capital and income flows into Bermuda and to create jobs.”Mr Wilson added as the Chamber’s Tourism chair: “I look forward to addressing with the new Government our five main aims: money flows, information flows, seasonality, jobs, and acting on common sense initiatives.“We want to put Bermuda back on the map; we aim to be effective; we focus on Tourism and its ability to generate increased income. It is extremely important for all of us to work together in 2013; the Tourism Division is a very good working group, with committed stakeholders who are all results driven. We think the political change will be good for the economy in giving a much needed lift in the intangibles of confidence and a ‘can do’ attitude.”Mr Wilson said the developers behind the proposed CUT Complex were in negotiations with a number of possible investors to include tour operators and a European / Canadian construction company.“It would be true to say that all of the people we have been talking to wanted to see the election out of the way, while a five-year political term should not be relevant to a long-term investor, the election uncertainty clearly had a negative effect,” Mr Wilson said. “We can now see a clearer path to getting the project on stream in 2013.”He added: “The CUT Complex team is looking forwards to encouraging inward investment into Bermuda and working closely with the new Government on the road to Bermuda’s long term economic recovery and working together with the Government on their vision for the creation of jobs. Jobs are the main message to be learned from the election and jobs are needed for a stable society.”Hoteliers and developers also expressed support for the idea of having a Tourism Authority with teeth, including the operators of the Rosedon Hotel, and Grand Atlantic developer Gilbert Lopes.Mr Lopes said he was hoping to discuss with the new Minister completing a final phase of the Grand Atlantic condos so a hotel could proceed.The Reefs owner David Dodwell was behind a Cabinet-approved bill that was all set to create a Tourism Authority, just before the then UBP lost the 1998 election.As an originator of the idea of a Tourism Authority, Mr Dodwell said he regretted the idea was never implemented under the PLP but was eager to move forward with it under the new Government.“It will get Governments and Ministers out of the day-to-day responsibility for running Tourism,” he said. “It would transcend politics.”–Mr Dodwell said civil servants and a Minister would still be involved but a Tourism Authority could be driven from the bottom up, make quicker decisions and respond to the marketplace in a more timely manner.He likened Tourism right now to “a slow-moving oil tanker”.He said professionals, hotel industry members and international business representatives should serve on an Authority “with real teeth” and have a say in how Bermuda is marketed as a tourism destination.Mr Dodwell said his wishlist from the new Tourism Minister was to create the Tourism Authority as soon as possible, hold a Tourism summit bringing high-level, experienced resort developers, hoteliers and qualified hospitality investors together “to tell us what they need to invest in Bermuda” and why they haven’t, and initiatives to reignite Bermuda passion for tourism and working in the tourism industry, which he felt would get cranked up once investment in Bermuda took place.