the light of day again.

Tourism Minister David Allen confirmed yesterday that the comparison commercials, which resulted in angry exchanges across the Atlantic, will not feature again in any future campaign.

It was understood that New York ad agency J. Walter Thompson was keen on using the radio and newspaper advertisements again, but Mr. Allen said that was "news to him''.

He was speaking as the Island's new image promotion kicked in with full colour ads in Conde Nast Traveller, Travel and Leisure, New York and the Smithsonian publications.

"The comparison ads never will be used again. They are finished,'' he said.

"We are not using them again.

"Those commercials were just to get us into the marketplace early, until the main campaign came on line.'' The ads, which poked fun at the Hamptons, Cape Cod, Venice and Scotland, compared Bermuda to those destinations for attractions, travel times and the people.

They were intended as a high impact, satirical promotion to get Bermuda into the market until its campaign proper kicked in later in the year.

The ads started in late April, partly to make up for Bermuda not being in the public arena after the new Government undertook a review of its advertising partners.

But they provoked anger from organisations in the US and Scotland, who thought some of the content was in bad taste and queried why Bermuda needed to attack other destinations.

However, Mr. Allen claimed there had been a massive increase in calls about Bermuda holidays since the campaign began.

Shadow Tourism Minister David Dodwell said he was delighted to see the end of controversy and congratulated Mr. Allen for "withdrawing them''.

"I think it is the end of them and they have found a way to stop them without admitting that they were a failure,'' Mr. Dodwell said.

"The Ministry had such a strong message from the consumer, I wouldn't consider running them again.'' Mr. Dodwell said the adverts had not attracted a huge number of people, but had managed to upset many others. He said it would be asking for more controversy if they were considering using the ads again.

"My initiative would be to say no, don't go down that road again,'' he said.

"It opens up too much trouble.''