Glenn Jones the Bermuda Tourism Authority interim CEO announced the Bermuda Black Golf Summit & Championship, Jones said, “Bermuda is proud to be the island’s advocate for golf not because we want the destination to compete in this game, but because we know the destination can win. Bermuda can win at golf. And lead.
So what is our game plan for victory? Allow me to walk you through:
• In 2018, the National Tourism Plan guides us to focus on sports groups and we hand that mandate to our brilliant Director of Sports Business Development to take us forward; • This resulted in the BTA sports strategy which puts golf right in the bullseye of sports most likely to drive visitor arrivals and visitor spending; • Next the BTA woos the PGA TOUR, bringing the Bermuda Championship here to Port Royal Golf Course in 2019… a five-year deal for a pinnacle golf event at our gem of a public golf course • The BTA sports team then went out and got an American Junior Golf Association event too. COVID-19 interrupted that event, but we are not deterred, that event will happen soon.
Our victory plan is resilient. And it’s still evolving. This much is clear: whenever an organization has a targeted, well thought out plan in a specific area, it’s poised to do great things.
Today, the Bermuda Tourism Authority will bring yet another golf event to Bermuda this calendar year. It is the Bermuda Black Golf Summit & Championship, November 2nd to 7th.
This inaugural event is as much about the business of golf as it is about playing the game itself. And it was created by brains right here in Bermuda.
Our analysis shows that the prominence of Black Lives Matter and the explosion of golf’s popularity recently make this exactly the right time for Bermuda to lead… with the introduction of the Black Golf Summit and Championship.
Both will happen here in Bermuda. And strategically, this event will take place immediately after the Bermuda Championship. This creates a scenario where golf thought leaders can arrive early for the PGA TOUR event… and golf fans and players here for the championship will be encouraged to stay late to help us topple racial barriers in the sport of golf.
Hazel Clark the BTA Director, Sports Business Development said, “The BTA would also like to acknowledge our delivery partners PGA Magazine and Ellison Consulting who will lend their expertise and contacts to ensure the Black Golf Summit and Championship is a success for many years to come. We believe it can be a signature tourism event as it grows year-to-year.
The event program will commence with the first-ever annual Black Golf Summit, conceptualized around diversity-driven dialogue. Diversity in sport is something I advocated for during my own athletic career and I’m proud to make it part of business development at the Bermuda Tourism Authority.
In its entirety this event will underscore Bermuda’s position as an influential global leader on the promotion of diversity and inclusion and help establish a critical framework that can create unprecedented worldwide access and opportunities in Golf. Now more than ever, racial disparity and inequality are at the forefront of global consciousness and Bermuda has proven it is prepared to unite, to topple barriers and lead the fight against racism.
On this point, this is so much more than a summit and a round of golf. This new venture will establish and support community programs and initiatives here in Bermuda. It will create pathways for local children to gain accessibility to the sport of Golf and also find careers in the sport. And we’ll use this opportunity to celebrate Bermuda’s Black golf legacy… by sharing the inspirational journeys of the pioneers that paved the way like golfer Louis “Kid” Corbin who pushed through adversity to lead the charge against segregation in Golf. There is no doubt our beloved Bermudian heroes will play an integral role in our storytelling around this event.”
