Welcome to the first in a series of messages to keep you up-to-date on the exciting developments as we transition to the Bermuda Tourism Authority.

The Executive Steering Committee and Project Management Office are busy at work creating the structure for this dynamic and vibrant organisation. Our vision is that the Bermuda Tourism Authority will be the enterprise that helps Bermuda evolve into a world-class tourism destination. Our primary objectives will be to grow tourism and jobs in Bermuda. As part of that work, we will be developing creative and innovative ways to make Bermuda an attractive destination both for visitors and for tourism investors.

You may have heard that we have already started to look for a chief executive officer for the new company. That person will be responsible for the day-to-day management of tourism for Bermuda. The search is still underway and as soon as we have selected a candidate, we look forward to introducing him or her to the Bermuda public. This role will be an important one for Bermuda’s future and for tourism and we take this responsibility extremely seriously.

The National Tourism Plan will be core to our working plans. We will bring this plan to life in a variety of ways and we look forward to sharing these details with the Bermuda public.

The transition from a government department to a private enterprise is a big one. The way we run tourism, the priorities we give and the way we go about the business of tourism in all its aspects is going to be different from what we have done in the past. The organisation will be independent, modern and entrepreneurial. We’re excited about the change and we can’t wait to get started.

We’re pleased that the Bermuda Tourism Authority Act 2013 was passed in the House of Assembly and the Senate. We now await the Minister to publish the Act in the Official Gazette for the Tourism Authority to become a reality.

If you have any questions, please send them to pmo@bermudatourismboard.com. We look forward to hearing from you and to working together to improve Bermuda’s tourism product. Bermuda’s tourism success is about all of us and we hope that as you hear more about our plans, you’ll be as excited as we are about the future.