Two Government Ministers are spearheading a 14-strong task force to Boston today to rescue Bermuda's tourism industry.

But yesterday a hotelier unleashed a broadside at the group led by Tourism Minister David Dodwell and Finance Minister Grant Gibbons.

Pink Beach managing director W. A. (Toppy) Cowen said he was dismayed new faces had not been drafted in.

"It's the same old, same old. We are seeing the same people spinning the same wheels.'' Mr. Cowen believed bankers, the Chamber of Commerce and, perhaps, the Bermuda Industrial Union could have been included.

Today's trip follows talks between Boston-based Monitor Company and the Tourism Department and the Bank of Bermuda.

Government was introduced to Monitor -- an agency which offers advice on tourism -- by senior Bank of Bermuda officers.

"The bank acted as a catalyst,'' Bank of Bermuda president Charles Vaughan-Johnson told The Royal Gazette . "We all spend a lot of time telling each other what we're doing wrong and this is an opportunity to see what we can do that's right.'' Mr. Vaughan-Johnson said an outside agency would provide an objective analysis of Bermuda's problems, and be familiar with the competition and larger trends in global tourism.

As well as Mr. Dodwell and Dr. Gibbons, the task force to Boston will include Tourism Director Gary Phillips; deputy chairman of the Tourism Board and hotelier Paul Leseur (chairman Alan Richardson was unavailable); and chairman of the Tourism Board's Strategic Planning Committee Gil Tucker.

Also going are Bermuda Hotel Association president Stephen Barker; incoming president Dennis Tucker; BHA executive officer John Harvey; chairman of the Hotel Owners' Committee Mike Mackie; director of sales for North America Paul Zar; and assistant director of tourism/marketing Pat Phillip-Bassett.

In addition, two people from the Tourism Department's advertising agency DDB Needham, and one from public relations firm, Porter/Novelli will be attending.

The group will spend two days -- tomorrow and Friday -- putting Bermuda's tourism industry under the microscope.

Mr. Dodwell said last night: "This is not a `what to do' exercise, but a `how to do it' exercise.

"We are talking about methodology and how we can institute change where necessary in reengineering tourism in Bermuda and making it competitive with the world.'' He added: "We are not afraid to look at new ideas and initiatives and this is one initiative: to reflect on what we've done, new ideas and show a willingness to change.

"We are opening up the Tourism Ministry and involving the private sector. I appealed to the bank to help us in some way and they responded.'' Mr. Dodwell stressed the trip was not aimed at producing another report.

"It's an exercise which brings Government and the private sector together to talk about how to do the things which we feel should be done. "This company, Monitor, specialises in facilitating solutions to issues such as reengineering tourism.'' Mr. Dodwell defended those in the 14-strong group, saying Monitor worked most effectively when dealing with small numbers of people.

"These people represent constituencies and the importance of getting the right organisations and representatives in the room at the same time cannot be overemphasised.'' Mr. Dodwell said other organisations would be involved at a later stage.

"The broader aspect of the community, the stakeholders in tourism, would be involved, and this could include the union and Chamber of Commerce,'' he said.

"We want to extend the issues to the entire community so they can be part of the solution.'' Mr. Dodwell, who will return to the Island on Monday, said the cost of the visit was being funded by his Ministry and the Bank of Bermuda.