Better entertainment, cheaper flights and improved promotion are the key elements to boosting tourism in Bermuda, it was claimed last night.

Leading players in the Island's holiday trade gathered at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute to launch the first ever Bermuda National Tourism Conference, which aims to develop a plan to help the tourism industry.

Entitled "Bringing Tourism Back -- Fact or Fantasy'', the two day think tank, which was launched by Premier Jennifer Smith, involves a number of people from the Island and overseas discussing what issues need to be addressed.

The conference kicked off with a question and answer session where members of the audience -- which included hoteliers, retailers, businessmen, travel agents and people in education -- gave their opinions on where improvements needed to be made.

On the panel were Fairmont Hamilton Princess Hotel general manager and vice-president Michael Kaile, Apple Vacations vice-president Ray Daley and Ernst & Young Bermuda Managing Partner Jan Spiering.

Mr. Daley told the audience that Bermuda was rated the second most desirable place to go on holiday in the world, but there were a variety of reasons why tourists were not coming. One of them, he said, was because of the growing number of locations now available to holidaymakers.

And he said the secret to boosting the trade was targeting the travel agents in certain areas, whom he described as the "sellers of dreams''.

He added: "You're safe, you're idyllic, you are a tropical place, everything works, you entice escapers, you are for romantics and you are culturally enriched.

"We know that, but do the sellers and buyers of dreams know that with the same conviction as you know it?'' Mr. Kaile said a number of issues had to be considered during the two-day conference, including how Bermuda marketed itself and who it marketed it to.

He added: "Tourism cannot exist in areas of conflict, in fact it looks for a safe environment.'' From the floor, Bermudian George Butterfield, who now lives in Toronto, said he felt part of Bermuda's problem lay in that tourists were not getting value for money.

"If fewer people are coming to Bermuda and if tourism is increasing around the world, something is wrong,'' said Mr. Butterfield.

"The value that you get here is just not commensurate with what you pay.'' One man said the perception is that in Bermuda people "paid Rolls Royce prices and got Volkswagon service''.

Another man suggested to the panel that new long weekend deals be set up between hoteliers, the airlines and the Government to encourage more people from America to come here for short breaks.

And another man suggested the introduction of car rentals because he felt holidaymakers were too afraid to hire mopeds and found the Island difficult or expensive to get around.

That idea in itself promoted debate on the merits of free bus and ferry rides for holidaymakers and locals also.

Moderator of the conference, MP Delaey Robinson, who is chairman of the Bermuda Tourist Board, estimated that it would cost the Government between $5 and $6 million a year to provide free public transport.

Local entertainer and businessman Tony Brannon criticised the Island for its decline in providing entertainment.

He said it would be easy for hoteliers to share the cost of bringing entertainment onto the Island, such as Caribbean bands, and rotating them around the different hotels.

He said hotels could organise more beach parties and barbecues, rather than offer no entertainment to their guests.

Local entertainer and retailer Joyce Hayden criticised many of the hotels for failing to provide small or even no dance floors where guests could carry on their evenings. A team made up of a variety of business and tourism people will discuss the issues in more detail over the next two days with the view of coming up with a game plan for how Bermuda should move forward.

TOURISM TOU