To improve Bermuda’s position in the global tourism market, local hotels need to stop benchmarking themselves against one another and look at competition farther afield.

That was the word from Patrick Graham, the new general manager of Rosewood Bermuda.

“We need to provide world-class experiences,” said Mr Graham, who took up his post at the Hamilton Parish hotel this month.

In the Seventies, Eighties and Nineties, Bermuda was the world’s best-kept secret, thought of as an incredible destination, he said.

“Some of that has been a little bit lost,” he said.

He wants to raise Bermuda’s profile again. He also wants locals to feel more at home at Rosewood Bermuda.

“It is sad to hear that locals view Rosewood Bermuda as exclusive and that there is some intimidation and hesitancy to come here,” he said.

While people from outside the hotel cannot come in and jump in the pool, they can enjoy the hotel’s bars and restaurants.

“We can do a lot more to show our support for the community so the community feels safe in supporting us,” he said.

Mr Graham took over from Andrew Archibald.

“He had mentioned to me that he was going to be moving on,” Mr Graham said. “He knew I was looking for a change.”

Until coming to Bermuda, Mr Graham’s background had been almost exclusively in the city luxury market.

“The future is in more experiential stays,” Mr Graham said. “It is more about giving people the ability to explore culture and things they would not normally come across. Rosewood has a very powerful footprint already in that.”

Mr Graham previously managed the Rosewood London in Covent Garden. He left that job to spend six months with his toddler, Charlie.

“Three months into that I received a phone call about a job in Bermuda,” Mr Graham said. “I could not pass that opportunity up, so I took it.”

At 95 per cent occupancy this summer, the hotel is “exceptionally busy”.

Bermuda hotels are seeing shorter lead times between bookings and arrivals this season.

“Historically, people have tended to book their stays four months or longer in advance,” Mr Graham said. “Many of our clients still do that, but we are also seeing a trend towards last-minute availability being snapped up, which is unusual for a destination property.”

He saw some of this at the Rosewood London, but mostly with groups and conventions, not individuals.

“Globally, there has been an intrinsic shift to impulse travel, with people following a whim,” he said. “We all stand to benefit from that.”

In the coming months, he said, Rosewood Bermuda plans to expand all of its dining experiences and its wellness package, and has renovation plans for its spa.