The Bermuda Tourism Authority released a retrospective of its development throughout 2025.

Its Year In Review looked at how well the authority stuck by its “Agility” framework for tourism growth.

William Griffith, the authority’s board chairman, admitted that 2025 tested the organisation through “an increasingly complex and unpredictable global environment”.

However, he added: “Against this backdrop, Bermuda’s tourism industry displayed resilience, adaptability and continued global relevance.

“What emerged from 2025 was not simply evidence of resilience during disruption, but evidence of Bermuda’s continued evolution as a modern, experience-led tourism destination capable of competing successfully within a rapidly changing global market.”

The Agility approach focused on awareness and relevance, greener work, infrastructure, local involvement, innovation, teams and groups, and year-round availability.

The review said the island’s awareness strategy aligned with the National Tourism Plan, with emphasised competitiveness and continuous demand.

It noted the BTA’s focus on promoting Bermuda as a prime destination for experiential travel and year-round opportunities.

Public relations and media attention spread word of the island, with the strategy creating 5.1 billion impressions in publications such as Condé Nast and National Geographic throughout 2025.

A standout, according to the review, was the Sports Illustratedswimsuit campaign, which was said to have generated about $62.5 million in media value and netted more than 11.2 million engagements.

The review acknowledged hurricane-focused attention between August and October, which may have prevented about 20,000 passengers from visiting.

However, it further noted the revamp of the BTA’s website and focus on the culture of Bermuda proved to be helpful.

From an environmental standpoint, the review noted the BTA’s support of environmental programmes, such as the Youth Climate Summit, World Tourism Day coastal clean-up and the Cash Trash Bash, which collected 1,638lb of marine debris.

Events such as the Bermuda Butterfield Championship and the Chubb Bermuda Triangle Challenge maintained recycling and waste diversion, which collected 26kg of recyclables and saved about 16,000 litres of water.

Infrastructural goals went through a major improvement despite hotel inventory remaining below 2019 levels.

The Bermudiana Wing of the Hamilton Princess and Beach Club underwent a $15 million renovation, while guest rooms at the Rosedon Hotel underwent full refurbishment.

Azura Bermuda and Grotto Bay Beach Resort and Spa continue to undergo development.

The chairman of the air service development committee assisted with air development after the merger of the Ministry of Transport and Tourism with the culture and sports departments, creating the Ministry of Tourism, Transport, Culture and Sport.

To increase local involvement, the review noted efforts to paint tourism and hospitality as worthy career paths for young Bermudians.

The Bermuda Hospitality Service Standards Awards acknowledged businesses committed to developing career opportunities and creating outstanding visitor experiences.

The review recognised the BTA’s focus on culture, community, storytelling and repeatability in experiences to boost the island’s allure.

Restaurant Weeks was seen as a great success, with more than 50 restaurants participating, 70 per cent of which reported increased traffic.

Spa Month also proved to be a win, with 16 spas offering discounts between 25 and 50 per cent.

Two new spas have since joined the programme and 67 per cent of spas saw an increase in traffic, the report said.

Team and group exercises were also seen as a gain, particularly during the ALHI Luxury Wedding Summit.

The summit, held between the BTA and Associated Luxury Hotels International, featured 55 international guests and 25 luxury wedding and event designers.

The Bermuda Triple Crown Championship, which acted as a key sports fishing event, attracted 54 teams, more than 400 anglers and 311 visitors, overall generating $2.77 million.

Outside of traditional peak tourism seasons, the review made note of “a diversified portfolio of sports tourism, wellness programming, cultural experiences and niche visitor events” to maintain year-round interest.

Superyacht tourism was seen as a bright spot, which generated about $6.1 million in visitor spending last year — a 64 per cent increase when compared to 2024.

The Bermuda Butterfield Championship also collected $14.1 million in new sales revenue and had a $9.7 million GPD contribution.

• To read the year in review in full, clickhere