Representatives of tourism and transport organisations heard that residents — from children to seniors — must be committed to the island’s tourism industry.

Vance Campbell, the Minister of Tourism and the Cabinet Office, made the comments at a meeting to talk about air service development.

The event was hosted by the Ministry of Transport and included representatives from Skyport, the Bermuda Airport Authority, the Bermuda Hotel Association and the Bermuda Tourism Authority.

Mr Campbell told the gathering: “We must be ‘all in’ with our tourism industry and by that I mean the entire country, from our schoolchildren to our pensioners.

“We must constantly remind ourselves that our very future is inextricably linked to our tourism industry."

Wayne Furbert, the Minister of Transport, said later: “I firmly believe we must work collectively to make Bermuda one of the best and most sought-after destinations for airline travellers.”

He added: "The meeting provided an opportunity for each organisation to share their plans and how they are working to improve air service, marketing, on-island transportation and visitor experiences.

“I shared with the group that we are embarking on an exciting spring and summer season.

“Before the pandemic, Bermuda saw an average of over 420,000 arrivals by air annually.

“Air arrivals decreased during the height of the pandemic. However, this year, we are projecting more than 300,000 arrivals by air.

“Another significant milestone is that Bermuda will likely see over 200 cruise calls this season with an estimated $200 million in economic activity."

Susan Jackson, the Shadow Minister of Transport, and Craig Cannonier, the Shadow Minister of Tourism, were also invited to the event.

Presentations were given by Lester Nelson, the airport authority’s chief executive officer, Tracy Berkeley, the BTA’s interim CEO, and Aaron Adderley, the president of Skyport, among others.