Dear Editor,

This is an open letter to all of us that live on this beautiful rock called Bermuda and it is home for all of us — blacks, whites, Portuguese, expats and more.

Let me clarify from the outset for people that don’t know me, I am an expat and English is a third language for me. We can, therefore, skip all the comments on how to structure the letter and what was the right word and grammar to use.

I am writing this note because I feel that after all these years we are still missing the very point that could make a difference as far tourism is concerned.

With the new Bermuda Tourism Authority in place I thought that there would have been a new understanding of what the real problem is. And there would have been some innovative ideas on how to go forward for the betterment of all, residents and tourists alike — unfortunately I don’t feel it to be.

What is important to understand in all of this is that the new Authority can facilitate a perception in the people’s minds so that Bermuda can become their choice of destination. But it does not have a magic wand to make things happen. When I hear the same phrases that says the same thing that has been said in all the 20 years that I have been living here and realise that nothing has changed in all those years “except going backwards”, I think we have a problem.

Two points to establish:

•Bermuda is a beautiful place with an outstanding product and service, the only problem it has not been marketed right, so a new marketing strategy has to be put in place.

•Bermuda is a luxury product with great service and we should seek to attract affluent people.

Let me start with these two important statements first.

•Bermuda, yes it is a beautiful place but it is not more beautiful than thousands of other places out there. Bermuda could be even more beautiful and unique — I will go as far as saying that this little Island could be The Diamond of the North Atlantic.

And here are my suggestions on this; stop marketing Bermuda to the world that is not listening to an old and tired product and start marketing Bermuda to us….yes us, here on the Rock. Put in place a programme of beautifications, from the roads to walls to beaches and please don’t forget the best asset that this Island has, The Railway Trail. Illuminate these aspects and set up bicycle rental stations at different ends where people can pick up and drop a bicycle, create areas as resting stops with benches and fountains, flowers pots, waterfalls, just like little meeting points that they can become commercialised on special events.

We don’t have natural waterfalls but we can create some at different sites, the like of Astwood Park, Horseshoe Bay and more places.

Create areas where all of us residents can enjoy mingling with each other, from little children to grandparents, just like any other parts of the world. Invest in St George’s, Court Street — this could be the New Orleans of Bermuda — Somerset Village, St David’s and more.

We need to create an environment that is welcoming for us first and the tourist would want to come to and be part of it. I could go on and on but let me address the second point.

• There is no more luxury in Bermuda than many other thousands of places out there, and this has been stated many times for many reasons and if we are real about ourselves and the product, I think we can start to see the shortfalls. I can make a long list of them but then it will be received in an offensive way and that is the last thing on my mind. Let me just say that we the people make the product luxurious and not the product itself.

Beautiful places can be built much easily that they can be maintained and serviced.

We have to understand that all of us are in the play together if we want tourists to come and spend their money here and not somewhere else. The Island should be like a theatre — everything and everybody should feel and play the script right. But not just because we are after the important tourist and their money but because that is what we want for ourselves and this beautiful Island.

We need to take pride in our sacrifice for the wellbeing of Bermuda and her people.

Imagine, St Georges’, Court Street, Somerset Village, St David’s and all of Bermuda buzzing with local people having a great time and enjoying what those places would have to offer — from cafes, to bars, to restaurants, to shops and street entertainment.

I think tourists would be fools not to want to come to a Bermuda like that. After all, we also have fantastic golf courses and beautiful beaches but we will have the people that understand that luxury comes from the heart and not from marketing.

We need all those places to be exciting, full of energy, attractive and most of all safe.

We also need to understand that if we want all that, it is our obligation to be part of it, and to come out and support our local businesses. We are not a big city rather a small village but if we all participate, we can create electricity!

Ask yourself this: would you like to live on an exciting, beautiful Island with great shopping and social life for all; or would you rather live in Bermuda that is deteriorating year after year, where a good percentage of people are finding [it] very difficult to just get by and where businesses are closing at an alarming pace or have very little to offer.

We have to remember and be mindful of the size of the country, so it is up to us to create that energy and feel-good factor that all of us and tourists are looking for.

We all need to feel and understand that tourism is the main engine that will keep this beautiful Island afloat for many generations to come. Without a successful tourism industry, eventually we will lose also the mighty International Business. The simple fact is that the International Business requires excellent product and services to attract their own clients/investors. The IB are and will be even more proud to showcase their domicile to Bermuda and encourage more in their industry to move to the Island. International Business has been the petrol that has kept the engine going for long time but the engine needs to be re-tuned or better still, the car changed.

Allow me to propose a small sample on how the above can be achieved;

1. Identify how we all want Bermuda to be and look like in 20 years’ time. The best people to talk to will be young and at school. They will be the driving force beyond the programme.

2. Set up a specialised team of people that will work around the clock to identify areas for improvement around the Island. This can be achieved partly by getting a group of professionals in the fields to donate their time and expertise. They will oversee a beautification budget over a five-year programme or longer if need be. They will also inspect and make sure that any jobs identified and then allocated is carried out to specifications and in time.

3. In collaboration with people from the BTA, professionals in public relations and marketing and the Public Works Department, a programme can also be set up to allow the people of Bermuda to volunteer. Bermuda belongs to anybody that contributes positively to her no matter what status in life you may have.

If a beautification programme is put in place for the next five years, we will end up with something very much different than what we have today.

So stop fantasising on the percentage of arrivals and the statistics of been better off than ten years ago and let’s start working towards creating our little Diamond in the North Atlantic.

All of the above will create jobs and won’t cost any more that is already spent every year with not much to show for it.

What it will certainly achieve is bringing the community together for one purpose and one purpose only — the FEEL GOOD FACTOR THAT IS MISSING AT THE MOMENT.

Then we can marketing our Little Diamond to the world.

For the love of Bermuda and her people.

Angelo Armano

PS: Gambling and America’s Cup alone cannot and will not be the salvation or the solutions for Bermuda. Her people can be.