Association's annual contest. Jose Paulos of CedarBridge Academy answered this question: Bermuda's two main industries are Tourism and International Business. Why could Bermuda not survive on just one of them? Bermuda's two main industries are Tourism and International Business. Why could Bermuda not survive on just one of them? Tourism and international business are a pair that you rarely see apart in Bermuda; they go so well together.

Tourism, the older economy, has been bringing money to Bermuda for many years.

The money the tourists spend helps the Bermuda economy to rise. All professions in Bermuda are affected in one way or another by tourism. If tourists are not attracted to Bermuda, we will have a serious problem. We have all the necessities we need to become a number one vacation destination in the world.

We are an island paradise and have our own unique culture that is so different from the world. We also have a world of our own on this 21-square-mile island.

We meet and associate with many different cultures and religions. This is what makes Bermuda unique and special. Look at the different professions and tourists encounter from when they first step off the plane; they encounter Customs, Immigration, taxi operators, hotel doormen, reception, concierge, chambermaids, waiters and chefs. That's just going from the airport to the hotel and dinner. That shows how many jobs tourist affect. If tourists were to stop coming, our entire island economy will suffer.

Bermuda is what dreams are made up of, the perfect pink sand and the clear blue water. It is like what you see in a post card. I visited a French school and showed them some of our pink sand and they were amazed. A couple of the students wanted to return to Bermuda with me. They couldn't believe that in a small island just hours away from where they are living is such beauty.

Although Bermuda is considered a small island, because of where we are located Bermuda is considered a giant international business location. Bermuda is a prime location for international business due to three reasons. First is our location, only hours away from the US and Europe in which we can travel to the western and eastern part of the world in just hours. Second, is the great relationship that the Bermuda Government has with the many different companies and how they support business in Bermuda. And third is the technology, which Bermuda has. They have all you need to start and operate your business.

Business people, while in Bermuda, spend money which filters through the economy. When they travel to Bermuda they enjoy it so much that they return on a vacation visit. On a recent trip to Europe I experienced how impolitely they treated their guests. As someone told me they were self-sufficient. They don't need a tourist economy to survive. In Bermuda that is not the case, it is in this way that both industries are intertwined and inseparable which makes Bermuda so unique. Now I know what they mean when they say Bermuda is paradise. After what I have experienced, I appreciate the friendliness we have in Bermuda.

As an intern at XL Capital I see how international business plays a big role in Bermuda's economy. The buildings of ACE and XL Insurance, two of the largest international companies in Bermuda, affected many local jobs. To build these two large buildings you need construction, excavating, and plumbing, electrical, cleaning, painting, architects, door and window suppliers, designers and many more different local businesses. If not for the building and expansion of these companies, many of the locally-owned businesses would have lost a great deal of income and jobs. Without the many international companies Bermuda would lose a great deal of profit, and without the many tourists that visit Bermuda, we lose a great deal of money.

As you can see, Tourism and International Business are the most valuable industries in Bermuda. It's like having a beach with no water. You just can't have one without the other. They account for over 60 percent of the jobs held by Bermudians on the island as well as about 60 cents of every dollar made in Bermuda comes from these two industries. Tourism and International Business play a vital role together in Bermuda's economy.