Bermuda’s stakeholders must work in unison for tourism to thrive in the Olde Towne, a One Bermuda Alliance candidate said today.

Tia Smith said that a consistent ferry service connecting St George’s, “the historical heartbeat of Bermuda”, to the rest of the island would be a good start.

But, speaking in light of cruise ship Viking Orion’s recent decision to discontinue visits to St George’s, she added: “These stakeholders should include taxis, buses, restaurants, Stevedoring services and our union partners.”

Ms Smith, a candidate for Constituency 1, St George’s North, said: “It’s disappointing to hear of the recent change to Viking Cruises itineraries resulting in the cruise line cancelling its St George’s stay over.

“Even though at its core, it is a logistical decision made by Viking Cruises, it speaks to the lack of infrastructure, namely the absence of a consistent ferry service to the East End.”

She said that while there were “glimmers of hope” including the opening of the St Regis hotel and the reopening of restaurants, it felt like St George’s was being “left out in the cold”.

“The people of St George’s need to feel like their concerns are not only being heard, but acted upon. But this doesn’t seem to be the case at the moment.

“It’s imperative that all of Bermuda’s stakeholders work collaboratively for the tourism industry to succeed …

“Reinstating some kind of regular ferry service to the town might not solve all of our issues but it would be a good start.”