A challenge has been laid down to the entire private sector to make the hospitality industry a success again.

Core members of the conduit team who put together a draft blueprint designed to bring about changes in tourism have spelt out what the Island needs to achieve in order to re-establish Bermuda as a market leader.

Speaking after the Royal Gazette revealed for the first time the contents of the private sector draft, three members of the group spoke publicly about the vitally important document.

The Bermuda Tourism Private Sector Long Term Strategy includes preliminary estimates, by 2003, of boosting air arrivals to 500,000, increasing daily visitor spending by 20 percent, boosting off-season revenue and increasing hotel occupancies to 70 percent.

Mike Winfield, of Cambridge Beaches, said: "These are targets that Bermuda should be striving to achieve. It doesn't hold the Minister of Tourism accountable. It holds all of us involved in the process accountable. He (David Allen) has been the leader in the charge but working with the private sector, that has produced part of the solution.'' The group, who together with other private sector members put the strategy together, are keen to stress that the target figures for tourism are theirs alone, and not the Governments.

Presentations are being made to as many private sector businesses on the contents of plan, in order to include interested parties in the process and get their feedback to refine the final document.

Conduit group member and Fairmont Hamilton Princess general manager and vice president Michael Kaile said: "We have openly set targets, we have to know what we are working towards. That is probably a private sector responsibility.

"If people have concerns this gives an opportunity to set these concerns so we can deal with them. The numbers had to be brought out into the open.'' The document sets out possible solutions to achieve the targets. They include focusing marketing activities on distinct market groups, targeting travel agents, investing in human and physical plant on the Island and offering a better experience to visitors.

Mr. Kaile added that the group, which had been initiated by the Minister of Tourism, needed all the help and support possible to make the possible changes happen.

"No one said the numbers are not ambitious,'' he said. "Unfortunately failure is not an option.

"The targets may be aggressive, they are the way we have to achieve if the industry is to be successful. You can't move the goalposts just because they maybe difficult to attain.'' Harmony Club president Bill Griffith said the draft strategy was not secret and was still open to contributions from other members of the business community.

"It is a cross section of the private sector,'' he said. "All these people are given an opportunity...it is most important to get feedback.'' Presentations have already taken place to retail, international business, hotels, Bermuda Industrial Union and transport sectors. Restaurants are to hear of the report this week.

Once all the feedback is included, the report will go back to the Minister for his input, before commitments are secured on its future and a new group takes the project forward.