Forbes announced then quickly canceled a 75-person 'bubble' in Bermuda for its 30-Under-30 honorees to escape the monotony of the pandemic
- Forbes announced and quickly canceled a 75-person "bubble" in Bermuda for its 30 Under 30 honorees.
- Guests would've paid for their hotel and meals. Forbes urged rooming together for the month-long trip.
- Forbes told Insider it is "not proceeding with this initiative," but didn't state a reason for canceling.
Forbes is canceling a 75-person "bubble" in Bermuda for its 30-Under-30 honorees after facing backlash online.
The event was slated as a month-long residency beginning on March 1 where guests could "work all day, and then network, engage in live programming and have incredible fun on nights and weekends." Attendees would be required to be in a bubble where they only interacted with each other, and Forbes said in an FAQ that was viewed by Insider that it would implement "state-of-the-art testing, quarantine, and bubble protocols that rival anything in the world."
"In a time of global chaos, when things feel so monotonous and gloomy, Forbes has decided to undertake something unprecedented, something amazing, something magical for our 30 Under 30 nominees," the online application to join the trip reads.
But on Monday, one day after the trip was revealed on Twitter by BuzzFeed creative director Rachel Zarrell, Forbes said it won't be moving forward with the residency.
"We wanted to find a way, with the help of the government of Bermuda, to create a protocol that could allow us to come together and build a community in a safe way that also serves as a model for the world," Forbes' Chief Communications Officer Matthew Hutchison told Insider in a statement. "We're not proceeding with this initiative but we are committed to tapping into the brainpower of our global community, partnering with others and demonstrating a path forward."
Additional questions regarding why the trip was canceled went unanswered. A spokesperson for the Bermuda tourism department did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
According to Zarrell, the trip was announced in a Slack channel for Forbes' 30 Under 30 honorees. Those who wished to attend were required to submit an application online to ensure "the exact right mix and balance of enthusiastic participants," the FAQ reads.
Though Forbes wasn't charging guests to be a part of the bubble, it did require attendees to pay for their own room at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess hotel and encouraged guests to stay with a roommate.
A month-long stay at the Hamilton Princess typically costs nearly $20,000, Forbes said, but 30-Under-30 guests could stay for $4,500 per one-bed room. Double rooms would have cost $2,400 per person, while double rooms with a third, portable bed would have cost $1,800 per person.
The price included access to a private dining area, coworking space, indoor and outdoor bar, and private beach club. Food and drink was not included in the trip, though Forbes planned to host a mandatory weeknight dinner for $40 per person. No events were planned during East Coast working hours so attendees could continue working remotely from the island.
According to a report from The Guardian's Archie Bland, the invitation to the residency received an enthusiastic response in the Slack channel. One recipient said they were "so incredibly stoked" for the opportunity, while another posted, "See you in Bermuda!"
Zarrell also tweeted that the trip had received a very positive response in the Slack channel, but called into question the wisdom of hosting a large gathering, regardless of the planned testing protocols.
"You can test your little heart out but you're living in a fantasy if you think 75+ affluent young people are going to quarantine," she wrote.
Commenters online had mixed reactions. Many felt that such a large group trip was too risky, or that the mandatory five-day quarantine ahead of the trip wasn't enough time to ensure no one would bring the virus to Bermuda.
But others felt that the trip would bring much-needed tourism to the island, and that a long-term trip would be safer than tourists flying in for a quick visit.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently classifies traveling to Bermuda as a level-4 risk for contracting COVID-19, its highest tier, and recommends avoiding all travel to Bermuda.