Opposition MPs yesterday launched a blitz on Government's record on tourism.

And they pledged a series of hard-hitting newspaper advertisements starting today and attacking the decline in visitor numbers.

Shadow Tourism Minister David Allen fired the first broadside yesterday, claiming a report by the independent Government Auditor showed Government was not spending its marketing cash wisely.

Mr. Allen said: "The fact that the amount of taxpayers' money spent on bringing each air visitor to Bermuda has risen to $83 per visitor -- the highest of any destination in the world -- is of great concern, as is the fact that since Government hired the present UK and European marketing representative after privatising the current London office, the cost per landed European visitor has risen from less than $29 in 1986 to $112 in 1996.'' He added: "This is not sound economic management and it is not good government.'' Mr. Allen said a PLP administration would introduce a range of measures to improve tourism -- including putting all advertising and marketing contracts up for grabs.

He added: "Under a PLP Government, we will immediately institute a review of all contracts operating under the Department of Tourism, including those retaining the advertising agency, public relations agency and various overseas marketing representatives, including those in Europe.'' And he said: "If we come up with a better plan, which I certainly hope we would, we would certainly go with it, obviously.'' He added the PLP also planned a series of tax incentives and concessions geared to change "the current seasonal nature of our visitor industry''.

These include "a two or three tiered system'' or "even tailoring the occupancy tax.'' Mr. Allen said: "We feel a lot could be done to attract visitors here in the off-season by recognising the seasonal nature of our industry.'' He added further cuts in Customs duties on tourism-related products would be made "so as to re-establish Bermuda as a major shopping destination''.

Mr. Allen said other drives would mean further incentives to aid hotels and stress the uniqueness of the Island.

He added: "Using existing resources, a PLP Government will make a more effective allocation of these resources to Bermuda's overall marketing effort and will ensure that this effort is more efficiently monitored and better-managed.'' Mr. Allen added the controversial $32 million "Let Yourself Go'' campaign was "really disastrous'' and had "actually driven down the number of visitors''.

But he said the PLP would bring in a sixth "weekend only'' cruise ship, which would be used to boost the Dockyard and West End areas.

`The fact that the amount of taxpayers' money spent on bringing each air visitor to Bermuda has risen to $83 per visitor -- the highest of any destination in the world -- is of great concern.' -- Shadow Tourism Minister David Allen And he added that the PLP would also seek "a direct non-stop or one-stop same aircraft service from areas where this does not currently exist.'' He said: "A PLP Government will also increase the marketing efforts to diverse ethnic markets, particularly in North America.'' And he promised: "To bolster our group tourism marketing efforts, a PLP Government will establish a full-scale meetings and conventions division within a Tourism Department working in concert with a restructured Tourism Board, with a view to greater coordination and support of private sector efforts in this important market.'' He did not rule out keeping the joint public/private Tourism Authority proposed by Tourism Minister David Dodwell.

Mr. Allen said, however, that a bid to "re-tailor and restructure the Tourism Board as it already exists'' would be launched.

But he added: "You don't have to shut down most of the Tourism Ministry to do that, and that's what Mr. Dodwell seems to be suggesting.''