Jamel Hardtman, 36, works in New York City and is the former business development manager at Bermuda Tourism Authority. As a 2018 40 Under 40 honoree, Hardtman discusses his passion for the events industry.
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What I do: I was responsible for driving corporate and incentive groups to Bermuda. This includes, but isn’t limited to, hosting clients on familiarization trips and site inspections, developing and maintaining relationships with corporate meeting planners, and working closely with local tourism and hospitality partners in a bid to inspire groups to choose Bermuda as their ideal corporate and incentive destination.
How I got here: Though my career began in media sales, I always had a soft spot for the industry, previously holding part time and summer jobs working in numerous hotels in various capacities throughout Bermuda. Working for Bermuda Tourism was a dream of many Bermudians, including myself. I was encouraged to apply by a former tourism minister and the rest is history.
Greatest career accomplishment: My greatest career accomplishment thus far has been the ability to make a successful switch from media sales to destination/tourism sales where I’ve seen my personal numbers grow year over year. Prior to tourism, I would say being able to change the way radio advertising is done in Bermuda by focusing on promoting clients’ products rather than just selling them through traditional advertising.
Impressive stats: I exceeded my personal sales goal by almost 150 percent, and the meeting groups I was responsible for contributed more than $12 million dollars to Bermuda’s economy.
Specific improvement I’ve made: I’ve used technology to be innovative in terms of how I sell to corporate planners. For example, when I host familiarization trips or sites, I capture the entire experience by taking still photos and video then edit and share the finished product with the clients after their trip is complete. This has helped me close contracts as the attendees have an authentic experience to share with colleagues when they return to work. Also, Bermuda is traditionally seen as a leisure destination, therefore I utilized social media and meetings at tradeshows to educate people about Bermuda being a premier business destination and home to many reinsurance and captive companies.
