Bermuda, tourism and the visiting cruise sector: Strategies for sustained growth

Abstract

Previous studies have analysed the impact tourism has had on the economic, physical and socio-cultural environment of small islands and highlighted the need for a ‘sustainable’ approach to the management of tourism in these areas. However, there has been minimal analysis of sustainability issues on small islands from a marketing perspective. This paper attempts to readdress this balance by providing an analysis, from a sustainable marketing perspective, of Bermuda’s cruise market and its total tourism product. A number of potential strategies are suggested to ensure that Bermuda has sustained growth in the future. The intention of the paper is to analyse Bermuda in the context of the cruise holiday market. The discussion will initially analyse the significance of tourism to Bermuda and evaluate its present situation in terms of tourist arrivals. The paper will then go on to address a number of sustainable marketing issues and apply these to Bermuda’s present market postion. The nature of the global cruise market and the developments that are occurring within this sector will then be analysed and finally a number of possible marketing strategies for sustainable growth with in Bermuda will be suggested.