Acting Tourism minister Randolph Horton last night urged the community to do everything it can to help Police catch a mugger who brutally attacked a tourist outside the Fairmont Hamilton Princess on Sunday night.

The thug pulled the 68-year-old man from a public telephone just outside the hotel at 11.30 p.m. and repeatedly smashed his head on the sidealk before running off with his wallet.

Police yesterday gave the hunt for the attacker a high priority by calling in detectives from the Serious Crimes Unit.

Mr. Horton and Bermuda Hotel Association president Billy Griffith visited the man at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital yesterday to reassure him that everything will be done to catch the attacker.

The tourist, an American who has a timeshare here and has been visiting the Island for the past 35 years, is recovering in hospital with severe bruising and possible fractures to his face.

The attack is a blow at a time when tourism numbers are so low, and Mr. Horton last night appealed for anyone who has any information to come forward.

Despite the vicious attack, the man told Mr. Horton and Mr. Griffith that he will keep coming back to Bermuda.

"He is pretty beaten up and is badly bruised and it makes me very angry to think we have cowards who would pounce on a man like that," said Mr. Horton.

"It is very, very concerning because we like to consider ourselves to be a safe destination and it is troubling that we have members of our community who would stoop to these activities.

"I am putting out a plea to anyone who was in that area or has any information to assist the Police in apprehending the person who did this. We'll be keeping in touch with this gentleman in the coming few days to let him know we'll do everything we can to help him."

Mr. Griffith added: "I'm shocked and disgusted. He is very upset about the incident, but as far as his feelings about Bermuda are concerned, he didn't indicate they had wavered in any way because of this incident."

Mr. Griffith said there should be harsher penalties for all muggers, but he does not believe attacks on tourists should attract longer sentences.

"I am sad and concerned and a little bit uncertain as to what we can do to resolve this issue. I am thinking about approaches we can make, but there are deep seated problems socially and we need to get to it as best we can, but right now we seem to be powerless.''

But his chief executive at the BHA, John Harvey, does believe there should be new legislation to impose higher penalties on those who prey on tourists.

Mr. Harvey said last night: "These people who are attacking tourists are also attacking every man, woman and child that depends on tourism for a livelihood.

"It is grossly irresponsible, it is selfish, and there should be tougher sentences to send out a message. This community needs to start playing a role and not copping out about everyone being on drugs.

"There are programmes and facilities for those who have substance abuse problems and those who rob innocent people and people who make a huge contribution the economic well-being of the country, need to be stopped."