Former MP David Dodwell to Run Bermuda Tourism Authority

Veteran hotelier David Dodwell has been appointed chairman designate of a new Tourism Authority. The authority was an election pledge made by the One Bermuda Alliance, which aspires to have it up and running in six months.

In the run up to the election, the OBA said it would “move with urgency to put professionals, rather than politicians, in charge of our tourism industry by setting up a professional, results-oriented and accountable Tourism Authority to rejuvenate tourism and create jobs”.

Announcing Mr. Dodwell as chairman designate and new chairman of the existing tourism board, Minister of Tourism Shawn Crockwell said: “Mr. Dodwell has been tasked with leading the formation of and creating the structure for the new authority that will fulfill one of our election promises — to move tourism out of the political realm.”

The Minister said three committees — product development, sales and marketing and tourism appreciation — will carry out the mandate of the Act and the priorities of the existing Tourism Plan.

Asked how the authority would be funded, he replied: “We are going to flesh out the relationships but the Government will be providing financial support to the authority, especially in the genesis stages.

He said the new authority wishes to “engage and empower” existing Bermuda Department of Tourism staff and there will be”consultation with the Bermuda Public Services Union to discuss any concerns they may have in relation to their members”.

Mr. Dodwell was behind a Cabinet-approved bill that was set to create a Tourism Authority just before the then United Bermuda Party lost the 1998 election. Speaking late last month, he said the authority will “get Governments and Ministers out of the day-to-day responsibility for running tourism” and “transcend politics”.

Mr. Dodwell said civil servants and a Minister would still be involved but a Tourism Authority could be driven from the bottom up, make quicker decisions and respond to the marketplace in a timelier manner.

The current Tourism Board is mandated to have five members appointed by the Bermuda Hotel Association.

Source: The Royal Gazette