Shadow Tourism Minister David Dodwell last night backed Government's push to attract new visitors from Argentina.

But he said the Progressive Labour Party has not pushed hard enough for a flight from Miami to Bermuda, which would open up the South American and southern US markets.

The Royal Gazette reported yesterday that ten Island hotels have signed contracts with a tour firm in Argentina and the Department of Tourism is attending a trade fair in Buenos Aires in October.

Mr. Dodwell said the Government should look at expanding a marketing campaign to other South American countries such as Brazil, Chile, and possibly Venezuela.

He said the long flight times - the shortest voyage to Bermuda on current routes from Buenos Aires in 15 hours - is not a deterrent to South American travellers who are used to a lengthy first leg of their vacations to Miami.

The United Bermuda Party when in government was promised a daily flight from Miami on American Airlines due to start this year - subject to the airline sorting out union problems and having equipment available.

Mr. Dodwell said a consultants' study ordered by the UBP when it was in government showed the Miami flight would initially be 65 percent full.

He criticised the PLP for not being "in the face'' of American to push them for the Miami flight and for keeping their airline strategy a secret.

And he said there was complete confusion about who had responsibility for airline policy, with Tourism Minister David Allen and Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown both speaking on the subject.

"I support this initiative. It is a new market that would have to be upscale to be able to afford to come here and I wonder if it could be expanded to Brazil, Chile and possibly, Venezuela,'' Mr. Dodwell said yesterday.

"South Americans are used to that long first leg of a trip to Miami and then the may have a vacation there or travel on to the Caribbean, New York or San Francisco.

"The upper tier out of South America are well worth considering, but if we don't have a good service out of Miami it won't work.

"This initiative should be used as a springboard for a Miami flight, and I am still very critical of Mr. Allen for not pushing to get that flight out of Miami.

"There are a number of ways to attract an airline and one of them is to be in their face all the time. They (Government) should have been driving American relentlessly every day and my sense is they didn't drive them hard enough (after American's promise).

"Our major effort should have been, and should be, going after American for that flight out of Miami. The next logical choice would be Delta, because if we landed that flight it would be a tremendous coup.''

Mr. Dodwell said a Miami flight would open the Island up to South American visitors, allow tourist traffic both ways to Florida and the south of the US, and would be popular with West Indians travelling to and from Bermuda.