Created: Oct 22, 2025 08:00 AM
Tourists riding rental cycles in Hamilton (File photograph by Akil Simmons)
Exit survey data tells the story in terms of what Bermuda tourism gets right and where there are gaps, said Lamar Caines, Bermuda Tourism Authority’s director of data strategy and insights, during a visitor insights presentation at the Bermuda Partnership Summit.
Above all, Mr Caines cited transportation as a “huge” issue, highlighting that “reliability, availability of transport, that one is huge”.
He said: “That is a new number. We don’t have a ton of trending data, so we’ve only asked that for the last two years.”
The BTA’s “gap score” analysis — measuring the difference between visitor expectations and their actual experiences — flagged transportation as a key weakness that could undermine visitor satisfaction and repeat business, he said.
The BTA flags transportation as a key weakness that could undermine visitor satisfaction (File photograph by Akil Simmons)
“The bigger the gap, the worse we’re doing, the more that we need to address that problem,” Mr Caines explained.
Erin Wright, acting chief executive of the BTA, when asked about the survey’s findings on transportation, said the quango is “a stakeholder in that conversation around transportation”.
She added: “Really any initiatives lie within the responsibility of the [Ministry of Tourism, Transport, Culture and Sport] itself. We do provide them with input and feedback from visitors, particularly, but any solutions would come straight from the ministry.”
Economic impact is major, with “about $2,000 per head, in terms of total visitation,” Mr Caines noted, citing robust average spending figures. Yet visitors remain sensitive to value for money, especially as the cost of accommodations and dining skews high.
Bermuda’s positioning as a premium destination means visitors often encounter sticker shock, and the issue of value for money remains front and centre in visitor feedback.
“Bermuda is definitely not a value destination. We are definitely more on the high end,” said Mr Caines, pointing to hotel room rates that can reach “upward of $800 a night”.
He acknowledged: “Value for money goes back to people being able to afford the destination,” adding that even among satisfied guests, cost stands out as a limiting factor. “Pricing — it’s never going to go away, in my opinion. You are always going to have people that come to Bermuda and are surprised at the prices.”
This concern extends beyond accommodations, cropping up in feedback on shopping and dining as well, according to the BTA’s ongoing survey analysis.
Reliability and availability of transport is an important issue for tourists, according to the BTA (File photograph)
Still, not all is bleak. Bermuda’s strengths remain its beaches, friendliness and safety. “Scenic beauty and friendliness of locals drive our tourists and make them want to come back time and time again,” Mr Caines told attendees on Monday.
American tourists, especially from the East Coast, make up nearly three-quarters of all arrivals, and Canadian tourism is up 31 per cent so far this year, with direct flights fuelling Atlantic Canada’s growth.