Cydnee Todd

Preserving our Heritage

Research Paper
Nathan Dill

October 13, 2015

Tourism is a Better Means of Economic Growth

Bermuda has a high-cost economy. The World Bank rates it as #3 in the world in GNI - Gross
National Income. But Bermuda was not always the tourist destination nor was the best Eye Catcher.
Bermudas economy use to rely on; ship building and agriculture. Later on in Bermudas history,
International Business came to the island and became Bermudas best income, but this income only aided
the business workers of the island. So the basic Bermudian has now relied on Tourism and it income to
keep up with their economy. Bermudas economy is now waiting for tourist season just to make it money.
Tourism is a better means of income for the basic working Bermudian, than International Business, since
2013.
Bermudas people and its economy has not always been dependent on tourism. Since 1911; when
Bermuda first started to become colonized, Bermuda needed a basic means of income and before tourism,
Bermuda didnt have a fixed income, their ideas where plenty but, most of them didnt work out and/or
not for a long time. Due to the islands' isolation, for many years Bermuda remained an outpost of British
civilization, with an economy based on the use of the island, Bermuda cedar (Juniperus Bermudiana) trees
where used for shipbuilding in the1800s and also the agriculture of the Bermuda onion. Shipbuilding was
going well until later on in the 1800s when steams ship where invented and where used more, as they
were easier and took less energy to use, also the Cedar where depleting rapidly and becoming extinct. So
Bermudians with the loss of shipbuilding still carried on with agriculture of Bermuda onions and sold or
traded them off to the Americas and Europe markets. Until later when the Americas started to grow
Bermuda onions themselves to save the wait and money of Bermuda onions crossing the sea to their
shores. So Bermudians than needed money for the economy and they needed it soon.
Not everyone loved Bermuda at first sight and Bermudians did very little, as their living
vegetable way of life led them not to attract visitors to their sunny shores. As Bermudians didnt want
to work hard at something new and would rather stick to Agriculture because it was easy work that paid
handsomely. So Bermudians, putting farming before catering to strangers, in 1899 sent 446,551 creates
of Bermuda onions to North Americas greengroceries. But back in Bermuda, Tourist were not pleased
with the difference of the Steamship Company brochures and the Bermuda experience. The hotel had
expensive inadequate rooms, and highlighted nice little hot dinners which were cold and bland. Hotel
life in Bermuda was not well liked said by Mark Twaine. To get to Bermuda was another thing, one had
to take a steam boat Steamer named, Canima and sail directly diagonal across the Gulf Stream and it
was not smooth sailing, Bermudas is paradise, but you have to go through Hell to get there. After that
brutal boat ride was no piece of cake the boats couldnt dock at low tide, you had to wait an hour to get
off the boat after it docked. Bermuda is not progressive in the way of modern improvement suggested
Julia Dorr. Tourism was just skipping the line (other than agriculture) in its economy.
But not folding in to all the bad advertisement, Bermuda gained its senses, and worked on their
Powerful Tourism Industry, they now have today. The direct contribution of Tourism is the leisure
spending of the non-residents more than the business spending of International Businessmen. More air
arrivals in 2013 helped the Islands hotels increase room sales by nine percent. Food and beverage sales
also increased 14 percent. Grant Gibbons 2014. There is an increase in tourism now, that brings more
air arrivals are in, for an example more people are occupying hotel room, and when people stay in those
hotel rooms they leave more tips, paying the average Bermudian; maids, cleaners, more money. The
hotels then have to hire more worker to aid the surplus of occupiers, giving more people opportunities for

Cydnee Todd
October 13, 2015
Preserving our Heritage
Research Paper
Nathan Dill
job, making Bermudians more money. Travel & Tourism generated 3,500 jobs directly in 2013 (9.9% of
total employment) and this is forecast to grow by 2.2% in 2014 to 4,000 (9.9% of total employment).
Tourism increases Bermudas GDP by 4.1% since 2013, and continues its growth as more and more
people come here for vacation (mainly).
After the many years of the booming Tourism Industry, Bermuda introduced International
Business to the economy. Department of Statistics released their annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
report showing economic activity in Bermuda for the calendar year ending December 31, 2013, the first
full year under the new OBA Government. The good news is that the report paints a picture of an
economy turning the corner after four prior years of unprecedented decline. The International Business
contribution to GDP grew for the second consecutive year, increasing 3.9% in 2013. A close second
tourism. International Business, mainly helps the Business worker, as the money they make goes to them,
taking off tax, which than goes to Bermudas economy.
In conclusion, tourism had a rocky start when it first started, but is now one of the booming
business and Bermudas best income so for. The regular Bermudian, is being benefited from tourism,
more than International Business, since 2013. Tourism is the main source of income and increases
Bermudas GDP by 4.1%, 0.2% more than International Businesss 3.9%. Bermudas economic depends
mainly on tourism than any other means of income.

Cydnee Todd
Preserving our Heritage
Research Paper
Nathan Dill

October 13, 2015

Cydnee Todd
Preserving our Heritage
Research Paper
Nathan Dill

October 13, 2015

Cydnee Todd
Preserving our Heritage
Research Paper
Nathan Dill

October 13, 2015

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