Government committee set up to investigate reasons for the continuing drop in visitors.

At the same time the committee will examine the way funds are handled by the Tourism Department, ensuring best use is made of its budget.

Finance Minister, the Hon. David Saul, yesterday announced the formation of the new committee, admitting it was partly caused by public pressure.

It will be chaired by Dr. Saul with the Tourism Minister, the Hon. Jim Woolridge, and the Hon. Grant Gibbons, the Minister of Management and Technology also sitting.

Four other members have been brought in to serve on the committee including backbencher, Mr. David Dodwell, and Mr. Steve Barker, president of Princess Hotels.

Numbers of visitors arriving is in steady decline with latest figures showing 220,036 tourists arrived in the first seven months of this year compared to 256,026 over the same time last year.

"The public has shown concern that the number of tourists coming to Bermuda in the first six months of this year are down on 1994,'' said Dr. Saul.

He said the committee will have two objectives - to examine ways of getting tourists back, ensuring they stay longer and spend more and look at the Tourism Department itself to see how it handles cash given by Parliament.

Fifty people involved in tourism across the Island will be questioned to gauge their views and see if they match Government policies.

"We will try and find if there is a common denominator between us these 50 people, what we are doing wrong and what we are doing right and what we should be doing more of,'' added Dr. Saul.

Meanwhile, Dr. Saul also outlined progress made on the Government's blueprint, or Five Year Plan, which aimed to start 111 projects Island-wide since its launch last year.

He said only two projects had yet to be started -- drug abuse, prevention and treatment and an increased school boards system.