The diminutive isle of Bermuda, only one mile wide and 21 miles long, is making a huge effort to bring more MICE business to its one-of-a-kind shores. The Bermuda Tourism Authority, an independent destination marketing organization, debuted in April, and in June, it hired Victoria Isley as its new chief sales and marketing officer. "Our team is here to work with [groups], and to be customer driven -- that's a real distinction for an island destination," Isley says.
Though the destination was hit hard by Hurricane Gonzalo last month, it rebounded quickly and was open for meetings business days later. Isley says that Bermuda's proximity to the U.S., accessible airlift, and top-notch resorts make it a particular draw for meeting and incentive groups. "It's an authentic place; it's not manufactured," she says. "People feel that sense of genuine hospitality when they're here and we have hospitality partners -- from DMCs to transportation and hotels and more -- who know how to take care of groups."
Those same reasons convinced Warren Vickers, president of Phoenix-based The Pinnacle Group, to bring a group of 40 couples to Bermuda for a four-night incentive program for an automaker earlier this year.
"We liked the idea that it was relatively simple transportation-wise," Vickers says. "The fact we could get them here very quickly, and have U.S. customs there during departure, was a nice benefit. The rich history in Bermuda also played a big role in choosing it as a site; it's not just beaches and cocktails. Our client wanted a destination that offered broad appeal -- luxury resorts, beautiful surroundings, great beaches and water, great history."
Vickers' group stayed at Rosewood Tucker's Point, and he said some of the group's most memorable activities included an off-site visit to Nonesuch Island, a nearby protected nature preserve, as well as a very special dinner hosted at the governor's mansion.
"The attendees gave up their pillow gift one night in lieu of giving to the community," he explains. "That was very well received by the Bermudian people and it opened doors for us in terms of venues and special experiences."
Isley notes the wide range of experiences available on Bermuda. "There's deep-sea fishing, and even a perfumery on the island. There, Isabelle Ramsay, the master perfumer, does workshops for small groups and they can create their own scent that they can take home with them. It's just one of many really special experiences that can distinguish events in Bermuda from any other destination."
In addition to one-of-a-kind backdrops and activities, Bermuda's established hotel and meeting venues are also getting major renovations. The Fairmont Hamilton Princess recently completed the first phase of its major $90-million renovation with new guest rooms and suites, a new bar and restaurant, a 60-berth marina, and a new infinity-edge resort pool. The second renovation phase is currently underway and will add a new restaurant from celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson, new guest rooms in the main hotel building, and a Heritage Restaurant and Bar. By May 2015, the Fairmont Southampton is expected to complete the second phase of its $11.5-million guestroom and suite renovations.
This spring, the 98-room Elbow Beach Resort (formerly a Mandarin Oriental property) reopened as an independent property helmed by veteran hotelier Edmund Burns' Burns Group, and it is also undergoing a multi-phase renovation. Part of that process involved the reintroduction of three new meeting rooms in September, which encompass 2,900 square feet of space all together. In total, the property offers more than 7,400 square feet of meeting space.
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This article appears in the November 2014 issue of Successful Meetings.