better deal on cost from North American airlines.

Tourism Minister David Dodwell said he would be calling on all the carriers to Bermuda over the next few weeks to ask for better service to Bermuda.

A major tourism review had identified the need for three more daily flights -- and a more competive fare structure in a bid to lure more visitors to the Island.

Mr. Dodwell said: "I will be visiting each of the airlines, encouraging them to support Bermuda, go over the five-year marketing plan and look for ways to spend our marketing money cooperatively.

"Essentially, we want to convince them we need additional service and, more importantly, that the cost should come down.'' Mr. Dodwell said airlines had been throwing seat sales in periods of low demand.

Mr. Dodwell added he hoped to get another carrier out of Atlanta, as well as a regular flight from Miami -- by scheduled airline or charter.

And he said: "Where you have more competition, fares inevitably come down.

"We could do this with new carriers or it could be existing ones. There is no doubt people feel it's too expensive to get here -- I think it's too expensive to get here.'' AIRLINES AIR