A steering committee has been set up to revive the general public's understanding and appreciation of the tourism industry.

And if the committee's fund raising efforts prove to be successful, the Island could have its first tourism awareness and visitor appreciation council by next year.

Tourism Minister the Hon. David Dodwell, who spearheaded the tourism appreciation scheme, told The Royal Gazette "there is a need not just to redevelop attitudes within the tourism industry, but to more importantly redevelop them in the community at large''.

"I used to think it was the Government's responsibility,'' he said. "But I stopped thinking that before I became a Minister because I realised that if you didn't have the private sector involved, people did not feel a sense of ownership.'' Mr. Dodwell, who owns The Reefs cottage colony on the South Shore in Southampton, said it was the community's need to understand and appreciate the benefits of tourism which drove him to push for a tourism awareness forum three years ago.

The forum, held in May, 1992 by the Bermuda College and Bermuda Hotel Association of which Mr. Dodwell was president, saw representatives from wide cross section of the community -- including trade unions, hotels, restaurants, and the Education Department -- sit down and discuss more than 50 issues relating to the Island's main industry.

As a result of that forum, a steering committee was formed.

A day-long Tourism Awareness and Visitor Appreciation Retreat was also held in June to develop a tourism awareness/visitor appreciation strategic plan for Bermuda.

At the end of the retreat there was "strong group consensus that action needed to be taken''. And a follow-up meeting was planned on July 13 to specifically address the following items: Formulation of shared vision and mission statement; Development of organisational structure for a Bermuda Visitor Industry Programme (VIP); and Elaboration of priority workplans and fund raising strategies.

Participants in the July meeting chose to work in one of three implementation groups structured on the agenda items which were later combined in a final report.

It was agreed to name the permanent organisation "Bermuda Visitor Industry Partnership (VIP) Council.

The Bermuda Visitor Industry Partnership Council -- or VIP Council as the body will be known -- will be made up of representatives from the Ministries of Tourism, Transport, Education, Labour and Home Affairs, the Bermuda Industrial Union and the Bermuda Public Services Association, service organisations and churches, international businesses, banks, the retail industry, real estate agencies, hotels, restaurants, cycle rental operators, tour boat and taxi operators.

And its mission is to "inspire the people of Bermuda to work together to make a commitment to revitalise the visitor industry to be globally competitive in the 21st Century''.

It will mainly be responsible for a number of functions and activities, including public relations, home visits and ambassador programmes, promotional events, hospitality courtesy training, encouragement of new product development and updating of older products, career promotion and advice, including tourism awareness in the school activities and curriculum design, and crime prevention and safety.

The steering committee's members are Plantation Restaurant owner Mrs. Carol West, West End Development Corporation's development manager Mr. Ed Williams, Training Development Officer for Labour and Home Affairs Ms Naomi Schroter, Tourism Minister the Hon. David Dodwell, and Bermuda College Hotel and Business Administration instructor Ms Barbara O'Shaugnessy.