A massive advertising push by Caribbean sunshine island resorts could leave Bermuda out in the cold, it was claimed this week.

The grim warning came as the winter advertising campaigns for several rival holiday destinations were unveiled.

And Shadow Tourism Minister, Mr. David Allen MP, said that Bermuda was in danger of being overlooked by adventure-seeking tourists.

Mr. Allen said: "I have been somewhat concerned about the direction our advertising has been going in for some time. It's low-key, staid, and dull, frankly.

"It's not giving the kind of motivation required to make Bermuda as interesting and exciting as it can be.'' Mr. Allen was speaking after the Bahamas unveiled the results of a major $8 million advertising re-think, dreamed up by ad agency Bozell Worldwide.

The Bahamas has done little advertising in the past two years -- but the new campaign links stars like Bahamanian-born actor Sidney Poitier, TV star Candice Bergen, Spanish singer Julio Iglesias and model Lauren Hutton with lesser-known Bahamanian attractions to create a fresh image.

Jamaica has also begun a new advertising campaign, led by a TV commercial showing lush island scenes set to the music of reggae superstar Bob Marley.

Antigua and Barbuda will double its advertising budget this year as hotels in Antigua reopen after being badly hit by Hurricane Felix. But tourism chiefs are staying tight-lipped on the main thrust of their campaign.

Mr. Allen said: "Too many people think Bermuda is old hat and we have got to break through that.

"We've never really featured people in our advertising and surveys show one of the main reasons tourists come back is the people.

"And Bermuda has a lot of connections we could use -- Michael Douglas' whole family is Bermudian and he comes here all the time.'' Mr. Allen added that Bermuda was also at risk of getting left behind in the advertising revolution caused by the worldwide Internet and other electronic media.

He said: "Some things have been done in that area, but it's not enough.'' Mr. Allen added that Bermuda's advertising budget had remained stagnant for some years -- but the cost of advertising had risen, particularly after massive rises in the cost of newsprint.

"The budget has been dead in the water and we have suffered a loss of buying power and that has been a trend over the past few years. We need to spend more just to stay where we are,'' he said.

Mr. Allen added that Bermuda did not just face competition from the Caribbean, but also from Europe, particularly in the field of cultural tourism.

He said that the Island had to boost special interests like archaeology, marine biology, as well as soft adventure sports like sea-fishing, paragliding and scuba diving.

Mr. Allen added: "Bermuda isn't just sitting in a rocking chair and it's not just sipping tea, although people might want to do that as well.

"We will also have to stress the cultural diversity of Bermuda -- the British connection is important and we shouldn't drop it, but we need to enhance it with other things.'' Government Tourism Minister, the Hon. David Dodwell, admitted: "The advertising budget has been flat for about four years.'' But he said that the total tourism budget for the Island amounted to $28 million a year, with around $17 million of that being spent on advertising and marketing.

Mr. Dodwell added: "It is of concern that tourist numbers are not what they used to be and not what they should be.'' But he said he had already started a major review of tourism promotion. with an emphasis on accountability and value-for-money.

Mr. Dodwell added: "We want the best return for every dollar spent. Every marketing decision and its impact on the market place will be assessed and that includes advertising.

And he said: "We anticipate making some major statements on the future of our advertising and marketing in the near future.''