Start with the Airport

October 18, 2005

This was sent to the Department of Tourism and copied to The Royal Gazette.

Dear Sir,

As both a tourist and business visitor to Bermuda for many years, I have noted ongoing newspaper articles about the decline of tourism in Bermuda (e.g. "Hotel Occupancy Continues to Slump" in the August 19, 2005 Royal Gazette, noting hotel occupancy in August is down to 55 percent from 78 percent). Why?

There are many answers, but one leaps to mind: At your airport, the Immigration and Customs agents are often offensively cold, rude and/or angry. They are anything but "welcoming". While they may be in search of a criminal, the fact is that 99.999 percent of all visitors are not criminals; they're simply trying to have a nice day.

Why can't Bermuda's officials be pleasant, smile and at least pretend that they're happy and pleased to receive visitors? They are Bermuda's first ambassadors. First impressions are lasting impressions and often permanent ones. Bermuda needs to begin at the beginning. Hire or train its airport-agents to be pleasant. This alone could dramatically improve Bermuda's tourism numbers.

It may interest you to know that in my younger years, while going through law school, I worked as a Canada Customs officer at the Toronto Airport. Being pleasant and welcoming was the only appropriate greeting for innocent visitors and returning residents. I found that this positive and pleasant attitude caused travellers to relax (even some who had something to hide). As a result, travellers were more comfortable and tended to confide valuable information to me, which was useful in my enforcement role. As my grandfather used to say, "you attract more bees with honey than with vinegar".

Sadly, the bad attitudes of Bermuda's government officials have spread to the clerks and waiters in a number of stores and restaurants. This combination presents a serious problem for Bermuda. Bermudians are not "owed" the dollars of tourists they must compete for them. Tourism will not improve in Bermuda until Bermuda treats tourists in a friendly way. The Department of Tourism and/or Immigration cannot change the attitudes of store clerks, but, if they would demand that their agents be friendly, it would solve the problem where it is currently at its worst. Tourism would improve.

DAVID S. LESPERANCE

Toronto, Canada