Bermuda’s food, culture and heritage are high on the agenda for tourism attractions over the winter months.

The Bermuda Tourism Authority presented its Uncovering the Arts schedule at Fort Hamilton yesterday before members of the arts and tourism community.

Bermuda’s cuisine will be one of the main focuses of the drive including a beefed up Restaurant Week that highlights local cuisine, a new tour of Honey Bee House, Hamilton, and extra food festivals throughout the season.

The line-up of events runs from November through March, typically the quietest season for tourism.

Patricia Phillip-Fairn, the BTA’s chief product and experience development officer, said: “Food is one of the biggest pushes this year; food culture in Bermuda is going to be a big hook in our revamped season. Restaurant Week has been revamped and we have 40 restaurants signed up, which is more than last year.

“Through food, we want to demonstrate the influences from the Caribbean and also though the entertainment and culture. We are looking to make the Bermuda fish sandwich iconic and we are also looking to make the fish fry something that is featured more prominently. When we are talking about Bermuda food culture, it’s not just about the cuisine itself, it’s about the culture around it. For Christmas, we are talking about the cassava pie and the other traditions around food at different times of the year, throughout the season.”

Bermuda ambassador and well-known storyteller Ruth Thomas is on board for this year’s line-up of cultural and historical events. She will be giving talks on the Island’s history, folklore and traditions at the Bermuda National Gallery.

She told The Royal Gazette: “It’s a way of getting visitors to know more than what they see — the real Bermuda. Our culture doesn’t hit you like some of the other destinations where, the minute you set foot on the ground, you can smell the culture, you can see it, you can hear it.

“Ours is more manicured and laid-back, but once you get into a taxi or on a bus, you see how people greet one another. Even the way we catch our water; visitors are fascinated about things like that. I am often asked about our health provisions, education system and parliamentary system. These are things they wouldn’t usually see.”

Ms Thomas will also be giving lectures at Pier Six about the tradition of gombey dancing, which will be accompanied by gombey performances.

Speaking of the lectures, which used to be presented by the late Louise Jackson MBE, Ms Thomas said: “It provides an opportunity for our visitors not only to see the performances but also to learn about the tradition. It enriches what they see and they know the meaning of the dance.”

Eco-tourism was also mentioned during the BTA’s announcement, with a focus on the Island’s natural history. Tour operators Hidden Gems will be involved again this year, as well as Lisa Greene, the natural history enthusiast.

Ms Greene began her partnership with the BTA last year. “Visitors really seemed to enjoy the South Shore Eco Walking Tour,” she said. “We started at Jobson’s Cove parking lot and I led them on an hour-and-a-half walk, talking about Bermuda’s origins and giving them a very brief coastal introduction to our natural history. It was slow in the beginning, but, at the end of the tour season, it was packed.”

St George’s and St David’s, described as “ground zero in Bermuda’s historical narrative, will be highlighted to visitors as an important part of their experience.

The BTA has also “shaken up” the former Rendezvous calendar, created with the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, to include an insiders’ guide to Bermuda’s cultural treasures. The calendar will now include special tours and activities at the Island’s forts and includes more events related to eco-tourism. The BTA has identified special offerings for couples, including food festivals, gombey performances and the exploration of Bermuda’s shipwreck heritage.

The Bermuda Festival for the Performing Arts celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and the BTA intends to make it one of its signature events. Festival organisers have already announced some world-class headliners, including the legendary Ellis Marsalis and renowned cellist Yo Yo Ma.

Finally, the BTA’s marketing team in New York will promote a new Arts & Culture focus and an on-Island team will begin educating frontline officials on the new features.