Bermuda’s Visitor Services Centres will have new leadership in the New Year. Bermudian Jakai Franks will fill the role as Operations Manager in January, bringing with him 14 years of retail experience – including more than six years in senior management.

BVSC Ltd. is a subsidiary of the Bermuda Tourism Authority and is charged primarily with increasing the amount of money visitors spend when they come to the island. To accomplish this the BVSC team connects visitors with experiences throughout Bermuda from the Visitor Services Centre in Dockyard. Video advertising, online booking and touchscreen kiosks in the centres are some of the resources used to improve the experience for visitors and encourage spending with local entrepreneurs.

In 2019, the same BVSC team will expand its mission to manage the soon-completed Visitor Services Centre on the Hamilton Waterfront, and in the spring, a centre in St. George’s as well. All three outlets will include retail sales which help to promote the Bermuda brand and grow brand loyalty among Bermuda’s visitors. The island’s brand has grown steadily in popularity since January 2016 when it was officially launched.

“As the BVSC unifies visitor services across the island, we are pleased to have Jakai lead the team with his wealth of retail and brand experience,” said Karla Lacey, COO of the Bermuda Tourism Authority. “His great track record of managing large teams at a senior level and his passion for merchandising make Jakai the right person to strategize this part of Bermuda tourism’s future.”

In addition to operations, Jakai will also have oversight of further developing visitor services and facilities management. He will also manage a new event space at the Hamilton location.

Jakai Franks was most recently head of consumer operations at Digicel Bermuda. His first day with BVSC is January 2, 2019.

• Press release from the Bermuda Tourism Authority