Tourism Ministry's marketing of Bermuda if elected to govern.

Party spokesman Mr. David Allen said a PLP Government would move aggressively to develop huge European market, re-charge Bermuda's "staid and stuffy'' advertising and end the "nickel and diming to death'' of visitors by Government.

Mr. Allen said the policies would reverse the stagnation of the Island's tourism trade that has been the case under the United Bermuda Party.

He also told the Bermuda Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association that the PLP's 13-point plan would diversify the tourism industry and broaden its money-earning potential.

The party's ideas include keeping the Budget ahead of inflation, marketing `adventure sports', increasing local entertainment in hotels, increasing hotel tax incentives, joint air charters, higher cruise ship numbers and a specific marketing campaign for the east end.

Mr. Allen said: "We believe that if these suggestions had been adopted when first suggested we could have staunched the draining of the lifeblood of our economy, our visitor arrivals and, at least, helped to cushion the impact of the economic recession.

"Instead the UBP Government, as recently as the 1990 budget, when the recession was already on the way, heaped punitive tax increases on our tourist industry, including the hotels.

"They ranged from huge increases in departure taxes, which sent a most unfortunate signal to the overseas marketplace about Bermuda's expensiveness, to duty increases on everything from hotel diesel fuel and wines and spirits.

"It is the nickel and diming to death of our visitors, with things like exorbitant cocktail charges and head taxes, that irritates them more than anything, even the big ticket items, and conveys an impression that Bermuda is over-priced.'' Mr. Allen said that the PLP tries to provide creative incentives to increase productivity and stimulate the industry to offset any reduction in tax revenue.

He said: "We must convey forcefully to the overseas marketplace and, in particular, the travel agents and meeting planners who send around 80 percent of our visitors, that we are serious about providing real value. Otherwise they will continue to steer their clients to places like Cancun and Aruba in even greater numbers.

"Government has been very slow indeed to get up speed when it comes to capitalising on the continental European market.

"For a destination that offers such outstanding scuba-diving, deep sea fishing and golfing opportunities, it is amazing that Bermuda has such a low recognition factor in such lucrative markets as Germany, for example, where all three sports have important target audiences.'' He said that a PLP Government would specifically target these markets and encourage regular air charters to Bermuda.

Mr. Allen said: "European visitors are particularly valuable because, on average, they stay at least twice as long as the average North American visitor, boast significant spending power and tend towards upscale properties.

"Whether in Europe, or North America, our advertising campaign needs new life, to convey the dynamism that exists in the Bermuda tourism product "Right now we appear staid and stultifying. With the tea cups and saucers in our ads currently, all that is missing are the rocking chairs. We need also to convey more of the cultural and ethnic diversity of Bermuda.'' The PLP Tourism critic said a new division to promote business group travel to the Island would have "its own marketing agenda and goals'' and a presence in all overseas offices.