A former Bermuda resort manager said the Island needs to create a tourism authority to better brand the Island as a destination.Wilhelm Sack, who ran the Horizon’s Cottage Colony (now Newstead) for 20 years, said: “This has to be affirmative and not saying ‘possible’. It sets the stage for the rest.”He said one of the main advantages of creating a tourism authority is that it can provide a consistent brand for the Island.“Tourists are drawn to places of constant branding,” Mr Sack said. “After a while it becomes aspirational to go to Cancun or Jamaica, the French Riviera or the Greek Isles.“Given the time it will likely take for business to emerge from the local situation, and the fact that lack of continuity will always plague every industry that relies on government promotion, the private sector and wise leaders of all political stripes should see that this transaction is done.“At least we know for sure it works.”On Friday, it was announced that the National Tourism Plan is intended to set out a ten-year plan for the Island’s future.The plan, estimated to cost between $150,000 and $200,000, will address the possible transition to a tourism authority, investments into future hotels, the creation of a convention centre and promoting the Island as both a year-round destination and a haven for medical tourism.Mr Sack, who is now the general manager and co-owner of the Horned Dorset Primavera in Puerto Rico, said Puerto Rico recently launched its own destination marketing organisation (DMO).“It is a strategy proven successful in promoting tourism and conventions in places like New York, Orlando, Las Vegas, Costa Rica and Colombia,” he said.“A DMO is an organisation whose primary function is to attract visitors to enhance the economy, purchase of room nights, food and beverage, retail items, transportation, visitor service. Many of those things are being done now by the tourism company, so this part of transition is fairly easy.“The big gain is taking the marketing out of the hands of the Tourism Company to have continuity in policy, branding and execution and not change the message to potential visitors every year.“With the DMO it is irrelevant if the Minister of Tourism changes or have none at all, as it was over a period of years in the past in Bermuda.”