Welcome to another edition of Chairman’s Corner, my regular update on the activities of the Bermuda Tourism Authority. I’d like to update you on the progress of our analysis of the applications for Tourism Experience Investments.

To start off with, there is certainly no shortage of individuals and organisations with great ideas and a deep love for Bermuda. It was heartwarming to read the many applications we received and it is clear that so many Bermudians and residents want Bermuda to succeed.

As you may know, we had an incredible response to our workshops in January. Over 210 people attended the workshops across the two days and it gave us a chance to discuss what we are looking for in a Bermuda tourism experience and it also gave members of the public a chance to ask whatever question they wanted about how the investment will be allocated. We’ve worked hard to develop a transparent and well-communicated process in order to allow anyone with an idea to apply for support.

So, we were pleased to find that we received an overwhelming number of diverse and well-qualified applications when the deadline closed on February 21. Since then, the team has been hard at work reviewing the submissions and looking at the options within our budget.

Unfortunately, not all the submissions will receive the level or type of funding that they requested in order for their ideas to become reality. And this applied to both new ventures and some that may have received funding in the past from the Bermuda Department of Tourism.

However, we are thrilled to be able to invest in events and experiences that:

• Drive visitors to Bermuda and/or raise awareness of Bermuda

• Are in alignment with the Bermuda National Tourism Plan

• Demonstrate a significant impact on our tourism product

• Promote the fundamental objectives of the Bermuda Tourism Authority

Where possible, we have offered to support some experiences through marketing and promotion in place of direct financial support. And for those submissions that didn’t align with our criteria, we have offered direction and encouragement in the hopes that applicants can make the changes necessary to ensure their success in a future application.

We’re informing applicants on the results of the investment selections this week, and we look forward to assisting in bringing some of these great ideas to fruition.