by Brian Major
Last updated: 3:10 PM ET, Mon March 2, 2020
While former Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) chief executive Kevin Dallas said upcoming "changes" promised by Bermuda's tourism minister did not prompt his resignation this past week on February 28, it's clear his departure follows a personal track record of success, even as Bermuda faces significant tourism growth challenges.
BTA's senior executive team will assume 'interim leadership duties" in Dallas' absence as BTA's board of directors carries out an executive search for a new CEO.
"It has been a true privilege to serve as the BTA's CEO," said Dallas in a BTA statement. "I am incredibly proud of what our team and industry stakeholders have accomplished collaboratively and in a relatively short period, and I remain very positive about the growth potential of Bermuda tourism." Dallas said he was "looking forward to new opportunities and challenges."
"We wish to thank Kevin for his leadership, and wish him the very best in his future endeavors," said Paul Telford, chairman of BTA's board of directors. "Kevin has been a strong asset and we are extremely grateful for his significant contribution."
Dallas' resignation follows comments from Curtis Dickinson, Bermuda's minister of finance, who said last month BTA would be restructured "to focus more directly on its sales and marketing role."
Zane DeSilva, Bermuda's tourism minister, later added "some changes are coming" following 2019 arrival statistics that revealed a six percent year-over-year decline in Bermuda's air arrivals.
Stephen Todd, BTA's deputy board chairman, is quoted in local press reports as saying Dallas' departure had no "direct relevance" to the statements from DaSilva and Dickinson.
Although the territory recorded its highest-ever visitor total in 2019, with cruise visitors were up 14 percent, Bermuda's air arrivals declined sharply last year as suppliers pulled capacity away from the destination.
Bermuda air arrivals totaled 269,478 in 2019, a 4.4 percent decline compared with 2018. BTA reportedly expects further air capacity declines in 2020.
Indeed DeSilva was described in local media reports as "unhappy" with the 2019 arrivals. In a mid-February statement addressing the country's budget, Dickinson said: "Bermuda tourism works best when air arrivals are up and hotels are full."
Dallas' tenure as BTA CEO began January 2017 and was marked by a turnaround in Bermuda's previously sagging visitor arrivals. Air arrivals grew by 4.3 percent between 2017 and 2018 to 281,887 visitors, while total arrivals, including cruise, grew 10 percent in the same period to 808,242. Visitor spending during the same period increased from $431 million to $518.5 million.
During the period, Dallas spearheaded programs and initiatives to deliver visitors and attention to the territory, including "development and implementation of the new National Tourism Plan and executing host venue partnerships for Bermuda with the America's Cup, World Triathlon Series, United States Tennis Association, Clipper Round the World Yacht Race and the PGA TOUR," said Paul Telford, BTA's chairman.
Dallas was also credited with encouraging Disney Cruise Line to make its first calls in Bermuda, Telford said. "Kevin has been a strong asset and we are extremely grateful for his significant contribution. [His] dynamism will be missed. However, we are confident the path he established will continue to drive [BTA] forward."
BTAs statement acknowledged Dallas led five-year-old BTA through "a period of tourism resurgence that saw record numbers of total vacationers over the last three years and the second-highest number of leisure air arrivals since 2006 last year."
Said DeSilva, "I have very much appreciated Kevin's strategic thinking and data-driven approach to the challenging task of revitalizing Bermuda tourism."
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