losing ground in the tourism market, a coalition of Island retailers says.

The recently-formed Coalition for Change levelled the charge in a full-page advertisement in yesterday's The Royal Gazette , under the headline "Tourism in Crisis''.

The Coalition claims in 1995 Bermuda saw 100,000 fewer air arrivals than in 1980 and has lost a similar number over each of the past 15 years, for a total decline of 1.5 million visitors since 1980.

Based on statistics provided by the Caribbean Tourism Research and Development Centre, that translates into a 15.4 percent drop. Haiti by comparison has seen tourism decline by 11.8 percent while Suriname -- on the north coast of South America -- has experienced a 58.7 percent drop in the same 15-year period.

By comparison the tourism market throughout the Caribbean has doubled in size, the Coalition claims, with destinations such as Anguilla, Belize, the Dutch West Indies and the French West Indies experiencing phenomenal growth.

"The numbers speak for themselves,'' says acting-head of the Coalition and Island retailer John Casling of Daina Ltd, which operates eight retail outlets along Front Street, Dockyard, and in some of the larger hotels.

"Government's record of managing our number-one industry is there for all to see. They have no plan, no idea how to pull us out of this crisis,'' he yesterday told The Royal Gazette .

The Coalition is comprised of "very-concerned business people who have had enough, enough of the excuses of why we're in this state''. He refused to elaborate on the Coalition's size or membership, saying only the group had considerable resources and consisted mainly of retailers and some restaurateurs and would be soon naming a board.

Flexing its new-found muscle, the group is pushing Government to enact reviews of the Department of Tourism's personnel and advertising initiatives and if necessary to go off-Island for marketing expertise.

They have called for a short-term action plan that addresses "our current crisis situation'' and call for a long-term plan to take Tourism into the year 2000.

The Coalition wants Government to set-up a Strategic Planning Committee, change cruise ship policy to allow weekend visits, allow Sunday shopping and outdoor cafes, study the option of Casinos on the Island, and boost Bermuda as a March-break/college crowd destination.

Coalition calls for Tourism shake-up From Page 1 "Let's face it, we're either in the tourism business or we're not,'' said Mr.

Casling.

"Right now our tourism season is down to a four-and-a-half month season and after that it's like a morgue around here.'' And Mr. Casling took issue with recent up-beat statistics indicating visitor arrivals were up 4.5 percent over 1995 for the first eight months of the year.

"Sure we've had a slight increase, but over what? The worst year on record.

What the figures don't say is the average length of stay is down and the average age of the tourist is between 50 and 80,'' he said.

"Bermuda is seen as a senior citizens retreat; we're certainly not catering to the `Let Yourself Go' crowd.'' He said Minister of Tourism David Dodwell should be applauded for recent new initiatives such as Jazzscape, but added Government had to do more.

"The short-term reality is we're in a crisis situation. We have some hotels which are just hanging on by their fingernails and retailers who are just coping.

"A reliable source has told me that during an eight-day period in August -- our peak time of the season -- the Hamilton Princess was operating at only 28-percent occupancy,'' he said.

Director of Tourism Gary Phillips refused to characterise tourism as being in crisis.

"I would say it's in transition.'' Still he did not take issue with the central claim of the Coalition's advertisement.

"I don't think you can challenge the statistics but I would say that figures do not tell the whole story,'' he said.

Those Caribbean destinations experiencing market growth he said, are benefitting from new capital investments and new properties being constructed.

"Our capacity has not changed as dramatically as in the Caribbean,'' he said, noting that in itself was part of the problem.

Still the Department of Tourism was engaged in a long-term product overhaul.

Events like Jazzscape and the Visitor Industry Partnership were small steps on a long uphill climb, he said.