will wreak economic vengeance on this Island' By Tim Greenfield Bermuda is fast approaching the "do or die'' stage of its bid to rebuild the tourism industry, it has been warned.

The Island is reaching the point where a completely new way of doing business and treating customers needs to be embraced by everyone.

And, if it is not, said one hotelier, the Island could see economic hardship.

Princess Hotel general manager Michael Kaile told a meeting of hoteliers and hospitality professionals yesterday: "If we stumble over and fall, we don't just take a swathe of other people with us.

"If this industry doesn't succeed, it will wreak terrible economic vengeance on this Island.'' Mr. Kaile emphasised the vital importance of the Tourism Competitiveness Programme and Hotel 2000 initiatives -- the brainchild of management consultants Monitor Company -- being taken on board by the whole community.

TCP links different sectors of the hospitality industry to provide a total vacation experience, where those people realise their competition is not each other, but other tourist destinations.

And Hotel 2000 is designed to help professionals work together, and with their staff, to train and communicate like never before to give guests the best service for their dollar.

If Bermuda does not reach that stage, then future investment and growth look grim.

"If it wasn't for initiatives such as all this dialogue, a realistic chance of any company investing here would be less than zero,'' said Mr. Kaile.

Hotels needed to be upgraded and there needed to be a realigning of who the customer was and what they wanted, he added.

Mr. Kaile was speaking during a Chamber of Commerce and Monitor meeting, reviewing progress made so far and looking to the future.

Monitor senior consultant Jeff Wetzler said Bermuda was approaching the "tipping point'', when enough people begin to believe in the new ideas that it becomes a foregone conclusion that there will be success.

Hotels But to reach that stage it is vital that people accept change and build upon the steps taken so far, learning about the progress made and spreading the word, he said.

"Will Bermuda reach the tipping point? It is something we are optimistic about, but is not guaranteed,'' he said.

Sonesta Beach Hotel vice president/managing director Dennis Tucker outlined some of the changes made so far, including a better dialogue with the unions, where now taboo subjects such as productivity and race could be discussed without fear.

He said the industry had moved from "blaming '' to the present day where bosses and unions had issued a joint statement of intent for the industry.

There was now trust between the parties and better communication, which meant that guest satisfaction would improve.

"I am not saying we have reached our goals but we have only just begun,'' he said. "I am very optimistic.''