other destinations in an increasingly tight market, the secretary general of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation said yesterday.

Jean Holder, speaking in Bermuda during a meeting with Government and tourism figures, said Bermuda will benefit from the combined marketing and training muscle of the CTO, which the Island joined last year.

The CTO may have to review its policy of airline incentives to attract and maintain flights to the region, said Mr.Holder.

Tourism minister David Allen said Government had called on the expertise of the 33-member country CTO in its efforts to attract a flight from Frankfurt, Germany, to Bermuda which may then fly on to the Caribbean.

Mr. Holder, speaking at the meeting in the Fairmont Southampton Princess, said in the Middle East some companies are spending $1 billion dollars refurbishing a single property.

CTO members need the best staff training in the world and serious investment in product to offer value for money, he said.

"The message is that we have to reinvent ourselves and be prepared to examine ourselves very closely to see how we are doing and not be afraid to change our systems and our policies,'' said Mr. Holder.

"We are discovering today on both sides, how we in the CTO can reinvent ourselves and give better service to members and how Bermuda can reinvent itself to remain competitive in a world where competition is fierce.'' Countries such as the Bahamas, where $1 billion had been spent building Atlantis, and Barbados, where a further $300 million had been spent completely rebuilding a hotel, proved the scale of the challenge.

"They had to offer something that was spectacular and it's the kind of thinking about product that we need.

"Everyone can't spend a half a billion dollars, but we have to give value for money. People are spending less time on the beach so we have to spend more on amenities and events.

"There is a serious problem with airline lift, and it's not a Bermuda problem, it's a problem for the entire region. If you are not stimulating a busy market, you won't be able to fill a plane, and if you can't fill a plane at the right price, the plane won't fly.

"The individual countries can't do that on their own they need a combined strategy. Maybe the region needs to approach an airline to say: `We need flights and what do we do'?'' Stressing that marketing was not enough and that product and world class staff were required for value for money, he said: " You can sell a bad product once, but you can't sell it twice.'' Mr. Allen, who has been asked to speak at a CTO investment conference in Curacao next week based on Government's Hotel Concessions Act, said the improvements on the Island's properties and the launch of the public/private sector Bermuda Alliance for Tourism, had laid the framework for a recovery.

Government has provided an investment pack, based on the Hotel Concessions Act, which Mr. Allen will be distributing to investors at the conference.

He said the CTO had produced wonderful training programmes and videos which could be used in schools.

Mr. Allen said: "We have had a very positive time and a great deal of synergy has been established.

Neighbours: Minister of Tourism David Allen shared a light moment with Mr.

Jean Holder, Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation during a press conference held at the Southampton Princess Hotel yesterday.