Bermuda’s tourism minister named eight members to the board of directors of the country’s first tourism authority, created in September to replace the existing department of tourism as Bermuda seeks to reverse its declining tourist arrivals.

In an official ceremony held late last week, Shawn Crockwell (pictured above) named David Dodwell, owner of The Reefs hotel in Bermuda and Nisbet Plantation, Nevis as chairman of the tourism authority board.

Crockwell also named seven additional board members: Phil Barnett, director and president of the Island Restaurant Group; Peter Everson, president of PE Consultants Ltd.; Butch Graves, president and CEO of Black Enterprise; Jessica Mello, director of consulting services at Deloitte Bermuda; Allison Reid, senior vice president of real estate for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide; Paul Telford, hotel manager at Rosewood Tucker’s Point and Allison Towlson, regional executive and chief operating officer for ACE.

“With the Board now in place, I will be able to step back from my day-to-day tourism responsibilities with only minimal oversight of the organization,” said Crockwell. “I will continue to advocate for tourism at the cabinet level and in parliament and work with the authority to fulfill the objectives contained in the national tourism plan. Bringing new hotel development to Bermuda will continue to be one of my priorities.”

“It is very exciting to be announcing the launch of the Bermuda Tourism Authority today,” said Craig Cannonier, Bermuda’s premier.

Cannonier said his One Bermuda Alliance political party “agreed to revive Bermuda tourism by creating a tourism authority that puts professionals, not politicians, in charge of the industry,” upon his election in December.

“We believe that a properly structured, focused, research-based organization will revitalize tourism in Bermuda,” he said.

“We have created an entirely new structure focused on delivering the objectives of the National Tourism plan,” said Dodwell, who also announced the launch of a transitional Web site for the tourism authority. “For the first time in Bermuda’s history, our tourism product is being guided by an independent, private enterprise.

“As we develop creative and innovative ways to make Bermuda a more attractive and competitive destination for visitors and tourism investors, the tourism authority will be the singular voice that drives Bermuda’s re-emergence as a world-class tourism destination,” he added.