Premier and Tourism Minister Dr. Ewart Brown yesterday said Bermuda could see a new low cost airline coming to the Island from Toronto next year which would bring down airfares from Canada.

Speaking at a Progressive Labour Party campaign press conference on tourism, Dr. Brown said Government was working on opening up new air routes to Atlanta and Toronto.

He said: "I believe that in 2008 we will see a low cost carrier enter the market from Canada and the impact will be the same in other areas in that it will bring the air fares down."

Dr. Brown also repeated a frequent PLP theme of criticising Shadow Tourism Minister David Dodwell for questioning the effectiveness of the Ministry of Tourism at the same time he was expanding his own hotel property, the Reefs.

"Bermuda tourism is back and the world knows it," Dr. Brown said. "I think the Opposition knows this too. They may not say it with words but they certainly say so in their actions.

"This past summer the Shadow Tourism Minister and hotelier David Dodwell said the PLP tourism revival was worth 'north of $50 million' to him. He didn't say it in words, he said it in action when he donned a hard hat and picked up a spade to break ground on a wide-scale expansion project next to his South Shore hotel."

Dr. Brown said new investments were benefiting from the Hotel Concessions Act, which had "paved the way for hotel operators to reap millions of dollars in tax relief" by upgrading their properties and hiring Bermudians.

"Mr. Dodwell himself has applied for a Concession Order and it has been granted," said Dr. Brown. "So far, he hasn't reaped any of the tax relief, but he will because it's a tremendous financial opportunity made possible by this Government.

"So beware when you hear the former Tourism Minister complain that some of our visitors are here on business instead of vacation, because Mr. Dodwell accepts business travellers and leisure travellers at his hotel, but apparently not in the newspaper. He's been criticising this Government all the way to the bank."

Outlining accomplishments in tourism over the last four years, Dr. Brown predicted a "platinum period of five-star luxury hotels".

Dr. Brown said: "Hotel occupancy is up, cruise arrivals are up, and air arrivals are up. Tourists are spending more when they come to Bermuda, we have more successful events than ever before, like the Music Festival, and the world's best hotel operators are lining up to do business on our soil.

The Premier said interest from luxury hoteliers such as St. Regis, Jumeriah, Ritz-Carlton was further proof tourism was buoyant.

"For 30-plus years not a single new hotel property for the country, but under the leadership that meets here on Court Street – Wall Street is bullish on Bermuda," he said.

Dr. Brown was accompanied at the PLP headquarters by Junior Tourism Minister Wayne Caines and Southampton West Central candidate Marc Bean. Mr. Bean said Southampton was proof tourism was "flourishing", with the Fairmont Southampton, former Wyndham resort and The Reefs all investing in their product.

Dr. Brown added: "An economy that stands on two legs instead of one is to the benefit of all Bermudians. That's the economy we are building. It will be an economy that is the envy of the world."