Bermuda looks short- and long-term with tourism marketing plan - Travel Weekly

Gay Nagle Myers

As tourist destinations begin to rebuild in a Covid economy, one island is repositioning its branding story for its international travel market.

The Bermuda Tourism Authority handed this assignment to Daren Bascombe, founder and managing director of Proverb, a Boston-based creative agency.

The strategy will build on research with the goal of helping Bermuda differ from competitors and appeal to travelers as a year-round destination, according to Bascombe.

"We're helping craft a new storyline, focused on who Bermudians are and what we have to offer," Bascombe said. "We will combine data and personal narratives to guide the next story of Bermuda for travelers."

I spoke with Bascombe, a native Bermudian by birth, about the timing of this project, especially as countries everywhere seem more focused on grappling with the rise of Covid and variant cases than with the rebranding of their message.

"Bermuda is a place of rich history, natural beauty, vibrant culture and meaningful community," Bascombe said. ""I'm thrilled by the opportunity to help shape and expand the story of Bermuda to reinspire visitors.

"I view this as a significant opportunity to reintroduce Bermuda to those who know it and those who do not, and for Bermuda to take this time to reset what it wants to be in the short term and the long term and to answer the question of, where does Bermuda want to be in 10 or 15 years?"

Data is a big part of the project, according to Bascombe, and the team is integrating local narratives plus international expertise to provide recommendations to guide the island's tourism strategies over the next years.

"We're looking at existing perceptions of Bermuda as well as the country's strengths and weaknesses," he said. "We're building on top of the island's strategic plan for tourism, and we're focused on, how do we amplify Bermuda in the minds of visitors to drive its evolution as a world-class tourism destination in a post-Covid recovery."

Charles Jeffers II, the Bermuda Tourism Authority's chief executive, said that "a fresh approach to how we engage not only our potential and returning visitors but also our local stakeholders, community and Bermudians around the globe" was "critical to Bermuda's recovery as a destination."

He said that Bermuda's people and culture would be at the center of the Bermuda Tourism Authority's marketing efforts.

Look for the project's findings by the end of the year, according to Bascombe.

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