Bermuda tourism can do better when it comes to building a tourism product that benefits Bermudians. Under the OBA in 2014 and 2015, Bermuda saw its lowest tourist air arrival years 49 years! In 2015 you would have to go back to 1966 to find arrival figures that were that low.

Under the OBA the number of Bermudians working in tourism have fallen while the number of guest workers is up. Bermudians are facing glass ceilings in the sector and the OBA's immigration policy is allowing Bermudians to be turned away in favour of guest workers. What good is a tourism product if it does not benefit Bermudians? Bermuda can do better. It’s time to ensure that tourism puts Bermudians first.

Our Agenda for a Better & Fairer Bermuda speaks of our plans to expand airlift, make sure our local entertainers benefit, modernize hotel concessions, reverse the increased energy taxes and collaborate with workforce development to make sure Bermudians can access the jobs in the sector. We will make the BTA more accountable and ensure that Bermudians in the BTA and in hotels are able to advance. We will modernize the tourism plan to reflect the evolving global tourism market and we will ensure that opportunities are created for Bermudian entrepreneurs to benefit from tourism.