Nine months after her appointment as interim head, the Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) has formerly appointed her as the new Chief Executive Officer, making the first woman to hold the post.
The announcement comes months after the post became vacant when the BTA’s former CEO, Charles Jeffers II, left in June last year.
To date, no reason has been given for his departure.
Ms Berkeley, who was formerly the BTA’s chief administration officer, was immediately installed as the interim CEO.
Meanwhile, a BTA spokesman said: “Ms Berkeley has worked tirelessly to stabilise the organisation for increased team productivity, raised the awareness and relevance of the destination by meeting with stakeholders in the travel trade, and media industries, and worked alongside partners to deliver the BTA’s award-winning Lost Yet Found campaign,” the spokesman said.
“With her steady hand, Ms Berkeley has helped to build a new leadership team that is better fit to meet the organisation’s needs, re-engaged with key industry leaders, and most importantly, restored the credibility of the BTA in the eyes of its stakeholders.
“Ms Berkeley serves on several private and public Boards and is a 2024 Certified Destination Management Executive candidate.”
Ms Berkeley said: “It is with a deep sense of pride and humility that I officially take the helm as the CEO of the Bermuda Tourism Authority.
“We are starting to see incremental growth along with a reinvigorated local community. Our success can be attributed in part to a focused, data-led strategic recovery plan and our commitment to seeing it through.
“By championing Bermuda’s core strengths and engaging with media and trade partners around the world, we have been able to leverage the island’s key selling characteristics and reinforce the message that we are open business.
“I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to further develop this vital sector of the island’s economy.
“As we gear up for what looks to be a steadying year of growth, we are working hard to strengthen our local and international partnerships to lay out plans for the future of tourism,” she added.
“The team is progressing with an emphasis on enhanced product offerings and service levels. We look forward to putting our ideas into action and working together to ensure continued prosperity for Bermuda.”
