November 28, 2012Dear Sir,I am not running for political office, but if any politician running at the next election in Bermuda is listening, this is what has to happen in Bermuda tourism ... please help spread the word!1. Create an industry leading BDOT (Bermuda Department of Tourism) sales team. Hire the best in the industry, based on sale experience and performance, who may or may not be Bermudian. Don’t compromise on quality sales people who produce results.2. Focus sales and marketing efforts on group travel, especially in the off-season, despite the make-up of ‘individual traveller’ focused hotels on island. All hotels on the island will benefit.3. Eliminate the full employment rule at 70 percent occupancy, as determined by the collective bargaining agreement. This kills our hotels.4. Eliminate automatic gratuities across the island (both hotel and restaurant 17 percent gratuity), in favour of an employee profit sharing model, intended to drive sales and profit.5. Develop leading edge quota and remuneration system for the whole of the BDOT, which reduces salary burden while rewarding the whole BDOT Team based on great performance. Move savings in (bloated) salaries to spend on marketing.6. The cost of doing business in Bermuda is out of control. Do all possible to reduce the costs of doing business in Bermuda, including tax breaks or contributions to utility costs (perhaps funded from current tax). This factor is preventing reinvestment, competition and prosperity on the island.7. Immigration: Simplify and dramatically shorten the process. The industry loses the best people to alternative destinations from our elongated process, at the same time suffers from service shortfalls due to staff shortages. Develop/actively promote a (Foreign Worker) Work in Bermuda programme through the Bermuda brand.8. Eliminate Term Limits. The number of fully qualified, awesome colleagues we have to say goodbye to in Bermuda based on this rule, is ridiculous (and very costly). If the answer is that they sign a commitment to leave at the end of employment with said company, put that in place tomorrow.9. Develop all possible to move towards a Tourism Authority with qualified travel industry professionals. Bermuda will not thrive, or perhaps even survive with non-qualified people leading the effort. Especially important, remove politics from Tourism, and the new boss in town every couple of years.10. The Island, and all stakeholders must see Bermuda as one resort. Stop the infighting for each of our pieces. The destination’s success, is much bigger than any of its parts.Please encourage everyone to talk to you politician to make changes above happen, spread the words! It’s only with all our support, we will create positive change! For Bermuda,SIMON BODENletsgobermuda@gmail.com