compiled by Tour & Travel News , one of the most influential publications in the North American travel industry.

The assessment was based on current airfare, hotel room and restaurant price data from ten Islands including Bermuda regional competitors Cayman Islands, Anguilla and Puerto Rico.

But the finding, which was this week presented to the first Island Tourism International Forum at Bermuda College, was challenged by academics focussing on tourism price-value issues as incomplete and misleading. See related story on page 8.

Tour & Travel vice-president Mr. Jerry Landress defended the survey developed for the forum as a prototype which the magazine may develop into a tool to help consumers decide on a vacation.

The survey condensed the costs of flying economy class to each Island from eight gateway cities, staying six nights and eating six moderately priced dinners for two. The room rates represented an average of moderate and luxury room rates.

The overall indexed result showed Bermuda as second least expensive destination next to Cancun, Mexico which aims for mass tourism numbers.

Cayman, Anguilla were next on the scale followed by Hong Kong, Maui and Fiji, and Tahiti.

The apparently positive result for Bermuda, however, did not alter the drift of forum deliberations which saw many formidable challenges looming for Island destinations generally.

Dr. Brent Ritchie of the University of Calgary, in a speech summarising the main conference themes, described a changing world that increasingly would challenge the viability of Island destinations.

"There are a number of fundamental forces at work which have led to a decline in the viability and profitability of island destinations,'' he said.

Increasing global competition was forcing "those of us living in'' North America and Europe to work harder " simply to keep up'', he said.

Recession and general economic decline had depleted the ability of North Americans to spend on non-essential things.

He described vacationers as becoming tougher-to-please customers. His view was reflected in a comment by Dr. Sheryl Spivack of George Washington University who said recession had forced customers to become more cost conscious in selecting destinations.

Dr. Ritchie also suggested that ever-increasing world economic efficiencies could eventually cause more and more visitors to remain closer-to-home, less costly destinations.

Islands also seemed to be on the wrong side of a nascent trend among travellers who are looking to for vacations that will contribute to personal self-development as opposed to mere leisure.