In six months time, Bermuda should have a fully functioning Tourism Authority — fulfilling an OBA election pledge.More detail has to be fleshed out — for instance, exactly what powers will be devolved to the new authority, what will its membership be and exactly what will its budget be?Crucially, will it be a body that accepts public scrutiny and allows press and public to attend its meetings?Tourism is too important for the people not to be apprised of what is being planned.Nonetheless it is a positive step forward and one this newspaper welcomes — especially since it will remove much of the strategic planning of the future of tourism from the political arena, resting it in the hands of the experts whose own livelihood may be dependent on a successful tourism industry.Of course, that raises the spectre of a conflict of interest and some eyebrows may be raised at the appointment of hotel owner and former UBP Tourism Minister David Dodwell as chairman designate of the Tourism Authority.Some may also see his appointment as the return to positions of influence of the UBP old guard. A previous administration may have had to put up with allegations of cronyism.Be that as it may. For the time being let’s support the creation of a Tourism Authority as a positive step forward. As the economy struggles, let us hope it is successful.