A top hotel manager yesterday said Bermuda's tourism industry has not let itself go enough! Ingo Schweder -- general manager at the Elbow Beach Hotel -- warned it would be disastrous to change direction after the initial `Let Yourself Go' campaign because the advertisements did not work overnight.

And he pledged $2.5 million from Elbow Beach's parent Rafael to help reinforce Bermuda's new image abroad.

The new Elbow Beach advertisement campaign -- which will be carried in prestigious publications like Conde Nast Traveler and Modern Bride -- show young models in provocative poses and uses slogans like "Kiss every new freckle....on her shoulder''.

But Mr. Schweder added that Bermuda now had to back up the fun, fresh approach to selling the Island with an improved product offering more options for visitors.

"Today, people don't go to a destination which isn't associated with a 1990s lifestyle,'' he noted. "We should change policies on outdoor dining -- compare Front Street to South Beach, Miami.'' And he called for Government to back hotel investments with tax incentives for entrepreneurs -- noting that hotel construction costs have risen 50 percent in a year.

Mr. Schweder also suggested that Government should: Increase, not decrease, the budget for tourism; Support Island-wide retraining of the entire hotel, restaurant, retail and transportation work force; Review the mandatory 15 percent service charge: Review the curriculum and image of the Bermuda College's hotel school; Review airfare prices and have a direct flight to Miami and South America; and Restrict continuing increases in cruise ship arrivals since more cruises resulted in "less visitors and lower visitor profiles''.

He said events like the XL Open, the Samuel L. Jackson golf tournament, Jazzscape and a proposed 1997 film festival will all help to promote Bermuda in the international marketplace.

The Elbow Beach Hotel, he said, will also do its part to upgrade its product by constructing a conference centre, renovating the main building and training its staff.

By spring 1997, Mr. Schweder said ten percent of the hotel will have been introduced to overseas training.

"We should send young Bermudians away to be educated so they can bring back what they learned and share it with Bermuda,'' he added.

"There are not enough Bermudians in the international hotel business to take over down here. International travel is supported by executives who have trained in two or more continents.'' Mr. Schweder concluded: "I don't believe we are in a crisis, but in a position of many opportunities.''