The subtropical island of Bermuda is something of an enigma for many UK agents.
Despite being the oldest remaining British overseas territory, it doesn’t have a big profile with the UK trade. It can be confusing that it is often included in Caribbean brochures, even though it is about 1,000 miles to the north and closer to the US.
In fact, it is only six-and-a-half hours from London, which has led the tourism board to refer to it as “the UK’s closest paradise island”.
Proximity isn’t the only bonus. Bermudans speak English and have a close affinity with the UK. This clean, safe, small island offers a tantalising mix of heritage with modern infrastructure. Forts, dockyards and quaint cobbled streets can be explored, plus there are botanical gardens and underground caves teeming with marine life. Then there are those trademark pink beaches, the year-round sunshine and turquoise waters.
Throw in a great choice of luxury hotels and spas, more top-class golf courses per square mile than anywhere in the world, watery pursuits ranging from 18 wreck dive sites to snorkelling over its 200 square mile coral reef plateau and you’ve got a pretty compelling tourism proposition.
On paper then, it pretty much has it all. So holidays there must be flying off the shelves, right? Well, not exactly.
Challenges
One barrier to growth has been prices; holidays in Bermuda aren’t cheap. However, this is more down to the fact it is an affluent place and the tourism offering is unashamedly high end.
It’s not one for the fly-and-flop, all-inclusive crowd, although some places such as the Grotto Bay do offer all-inclusive deals.
Only a relatively small number of trade-friendly operators sell Bermuda. Prestige Holidays is a specialist with a standalone Bermuda brochure and other operators that feature the island include Kuoni, Caribtours, Classic Collection Holidays, British Airways Holidays and North America Travel Service.
Plus, the level of promotion in the UK has, until recently, been decidedly low. However, this year, the Bermuda Department of Tourism undertook a range of initiatives to help raise awareness, complete with advertising, a week-long UK trade roadshow and discounting campaigns.
Incentives
In October, the tourist office launched an agent rewards scheme to sit alongside its Bermuda Specialist programme. The agent with the most bookings each month wins a £50 gift card, with a £100 gift card up for grabs each quarter, and a trip to Bermuda for two offered to the agent who makes the most bookings through the year.
To qualify, agents need to complete module one in the Bermuda Specialist Programme and enter all of their bookings in the online tracker.
From December 26 to February 28, 2011 discounts of $500 are being offered on five-night stays through operators such as Prestige for holidays taken between April 1 and December 31, 2011.
The tourism board is also planning a number of agent educationals.
Prestige recently launched its 2011 Bermuda brochure, featuring 13 properties on the island. Free night offers are available at most of its properties, along with complimentary room upgrades, free golf and resort credits.
At the Fairmont Southampton and Elbow Beach, children stay free when sharing a room with their parents. Plus, connecting flights to London from a range of regional airports cost from £25 return per person, including taxes.
New developments
A 125-acre Park Hyatt Resort is to be built on the former Club Med site in St George.
Work will begin on the property next year with new features including a 100-room hotel, 71 apartments, 39 villas and 12 family homes, an 18-hole Nick Faldo-designed golf course, an 18,000 square foot spa and fitness centre and two tennis courts.
The 9 Beaches resort is also relaunching next year following a complete upgrade of its over-the-water accommodation, dockside restaurant and lounge.
Golf offers
At Port Royal Golf Club, every Monday and Thursday until March 31, 2011, visitors can compete in the visitors’ golf tournament and benefit from a 50% discount on green fees.
Visitors who stay at the Newstead Belmont Hills Club receive one free round of golf per day at the nearby Belmont Hills Golf Club.
Accommodation
Small it may be, but there are 3,000 rooms in Bermuda, ranging from small hotels to large resorts.
High-end properties are the order of the day, such as Mandarin Oriental’s Elbow Beach; the Fairmont Southampton, and its sister property the Hamilton Princess; Tucker’s Point Hotel & Spa, now under the Rosewood umbrella; and the Reefs Hotel & Club.
All of these resorts have sumptuous spas and have recently undergone extensive interior and exterior renovations.
At the latter, the new Reefs Club features 19 two and three-bedroom beachfront private residences, while the new La Serana Spa has Elemis products and eight treatment rooms.
At Elbow Beach resort, guests get every third night free and couples choosing to tie the knot there can stream live footage of their wedding day over the internet. The service costs $250 for the first hour and $100 for each additional hour.
Other prominent properties include the Pink Beach Club at Tucker’s Point, which is a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World marketing group.
Perfect twins
A great option to pitch to clients is to twin Bermuda with a trip to the US. Extensions to New York and Boston are offered in Prestige’s new brochure, while chairman John Dixon says extensions to Canada are proving increasingly popular, because they offer “the adventure of Canada and the chance to flop in Bermuda to relax before going home”.
Sample product
A twin-centre Boston and Bermuda break with Prestige Holidays leads in at £1,376 per person including flights with British Airways and Delta Air Lines, three nights at the Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston, and seven nights’ room-only at Grotto Bay in Bermuda. prestigeholidays.co.uk, 01425 480400
Classic Collection has seven nights’ bed and breakfast at the Rosedon Hotel from £1,576 per person, based on two sharing, departing from Gatwick on May 2, 2011. This price includes transfers. classic-collection.co.uk, 0800 008 7299
