industry and each may have their own ideas concerning this decline and ways to revive the industry.

Tourism research and data collection involving computations will reveal accurate insights into Bermuda's tourism plight. Researcher Elizabeth Walker Sobhani recently compiled a Queen's University Master's Research Project on the Island's tourism, entitled "The Impact of Service Encounters on the Destination Image of Bermuda'' Below is an outline and synopsis of her thesis.

A year of research was conducted concerning the strategies of different tourism destinations and the importance of service quality, in addition to first hand research with tourists traveling to Bermuda.

I surveyed American Airlines passengers flying from New York to Bermuda about their expectations of services on the Island and their image of Bermuda. I then distributed a second survey at the Bermuda International Airport when tourists had finished their vacation to measure their image of Bermuda again and their perceived quality of the services. The results highlight some interesting findings.

When examining past tourism statistics for Bermuda, one notices that over 50 percent of Island visitors are repeat customers. If Bermuda's tourism industry is to be strengthened in the long term, then brand loyalty is necessary.

These first time visitors to Bermuda should leave the Island longing to come again and anxious to tell their friends how fabulous Bermuda is. Therefore, tourists' image of Bermuda (destination image) on the completion of their vacation should be favourable, attractive and unique.

Post-trip destination image was discovered to be an extremely important variable for tourism. It alone is 50 percent of the reason why tourists will decide to come to Bermuda again, or choose not to.

There are also uncontrollable factors such as time off work and income. What Bermuda must realise is how to manage this destination image.

Tourists pre-trip image of Bermuda is formed either through the travel agent, brochures, friend's comments on Bermuda or perhaps a distant past experience.

For first time visitors, this pre-trip image of anticipation and expectancy was discovered to be much higher than their post-trip image of Bermuda thus, the vacation experience can influence this image, and the results showed a negative influence after their vacation.

It is important to determine what factors can alter destination image.

Brochures and magazines depict the island as a paradise with pink beaches and friendly people however, when a tourist is in Bermuda, one unpleasant incident with the front desk staff at the hotel or the waiter at a restaurant will change this image.

Tourists are continually making evaluations of all of the services they purchase while on the Island. They are judging the performance of these services and if they are not acceptably high, then their destination image of Bermuda will be lowered and they will not want to visit the island again.

What may appear as such tiny encounters as a discourteous scuba diving instructor may affect a later decision as to whether a tourist returns to Bermuda.

The most important variables to influence the post-trip image of Bermuda were the promptness and friendliness of service staff, the location of services (if they were convenient), the quality of the product, the weather and the physical beauty of Bermuda.

Service quality can have an immense effect on the tourism industry. For tourists who have nearly the entire world at their disposal, a small incident or unpleasant encounter will be enough to have them say `never again', and tell all their friends.

Bermuda has a reputation of being an expensive place and such a reputation cannot be easily changed. Rather, I believe Bermuda must differentiate itself through superior service quality.

My research shows that tourists do not mind paying high prices for services if they receive exceptional quality in return and feel they have received value for their money. Such superior service quality will influence these tourists to leave Bermuda with a positive image of the island, and perhaps return again, boosting the Island's tourism industry in the long term.

In order to revive the tourism industry the support of everyone is needed, from entrepreneurs who own restaurants and hotels, the community who interact with tourists and the Bermuda Department of Tourism. We can all affect tourists image of Bermuda, and we all must ensure their image is positive.

For example, I suggest better training for all hotel staff, and restaurant staff -- even a specific course at the college entitled "Hotel Service Quality and its effects for Bermuda.'' Activities should have buses that transport tourists from Hamilton to their location and the community should be given a chance to express their ideas.

For example, hosting open forums on tourism to develop strategies to build Bermuda's tourism industry. In order to have a successful tourism strategy it needs to be supported by the entire community.

In conclusion, my thesis has revealed the significant importance of destination image.

Tourists must leave Bermuda with a positive image so they will want to return to the island again, building Bermuda's long term tourism industry. This can be achieved through superior service quality.

I have designed a model which tourism departments can use to measure and manage the destination image of their country in conjunction with the impact of service industries, the weather and the physical environment of the destination.

Then will the true problems be discovered and the appropriate solutions devised. My hope is that my year-long research, culminating in my Master's Thesis, will be of assistance to Bermuda and tourism in general.

A copy of my thesis will be placed with the Department of Tourism as promised to the Minister Hon. David Dodwell and as thanks for the cooperation of the Department's staff.

Elizabeth Walker Sobhani is a Bermudian student and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McGill University in Montreal. She has just completed an objective, professional study about tourism in Bermuda.

The 24-year-old researcher chose to study specific details about tourism in Bermuda for her Masters of Business Management thesis at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. Her thesis is entitled "The Impact of Service Encounters on the Destination Image of Bermuda.'' Mrs. Walker Sobhani conducted 50 surveys with American Airline passengers flying from New York to Bermuda. She asked about their expectations and images of Bermuda before arrival. About 150 surveys were conducted with American Airline passengers in Bermuda prior to their departure from the Island.

"The most difficult task associated with the project was getting permission in the United States to hand out questionnaires,'' she explained. However, getting the permit to survey passengers leaving Bermuda was much simpler with the support of Tourism Minister, Mr. David Dodwell. "My interest in tourism stems from my concern as a local Bermudian about the recent decline in tourism and it's impact on the Island's economy.

"Services research has only recently been explored in marketing, and although there have been studies on the quality of tourism services, more research is needed about the implications of these services.'' After the data was collected Mrs. Walker Sobhani explored the following questions: How does a tourist form an image of a destination? What determines a tourist's confidence level in this image? Do tourists have expectations of the services in Bermuda before they go on the vacation, which they then compare to the actual performance of the service? How do tourists determine the perceived service quality of services purchased on the vacation? How are tourists images of Bermuda affected by these service encounters? How does the post destination image (image upon the completion of the vacation) affect the behavioural intentions for repurchase? Elizabeth Walker Sobhani