The Island will need to relearn its manners if the tourism industry is to thrive, said Colin Campbell of OBM International.

The regional director of the architectural firm, said while tourists loved the Island's beaches and warm weather, they mostly remembered the friendly people.

But with the recent soar in violent crimes locals and visitors alike were starting to feel "uncomfortable" in all parts of the Island.

Mr. Campbell said: "The crime has made a number of individuals really uncomfortable particularly the neighbourhoods that residents must reside. This is not something that is isolated to particular areas. These young men have a significant impact globally."

Mr. Campbell was one of six panellist invited to discus trends in hotel and resort development on the Island and the Caribbean last night.

Others included Peter Brooks and Rogerio Basso of Ernst & Young International, David Dodwell, owner of The Reefs Hotel and Nine Beaches, John Bush III of Tuckers Point Club and Harold Conyers, of Conyers and Associates.

According to Mr. Campbell, it wouldn't matter how big or beautiful Bermuda made it's hotels, if the Island didn't return to its "civic virtue" tourists would be hesitant to visit.

The OBMI director said: "We need a good manners initiative and remind ourselves of how we were brought up and (that) good manners matters."

The Island would also have be innovative and consider providing meditation and spiritual holidays, rather than just simple beach getaways, Mr. Campbell said.

Visitors were looking for "educational pursuits", like exciting cooking, history and art components — or even a chance to star gaze, he explained.

Perhaps the biggest potential for visitors, however, could be through "medical tourism". Once the Island develops the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, people might look to have simple medical procedures done here instead of Boston in the United States, Mr. Campbell said.

According to Mr. Dodwell, tourists were also looking for residential components in hotel development, such as Tuckers Point Club and The Reefs Hotel.

He said the industry changed dramatically since September 2008 with the collapse of the financial market, and was now littered with bankruptcies and foreclosures.

What Mr. Dodwell calls the "world wide waste of tourism" means developments are not being started without significant cash equity injections.

Despite these setbacks, he said: "We need to have a new product in place and we need to start building now. We can't wait for the economy to be in place."

Senior Manager for real estate and hospitality in Latin America, Rogerio Basso said the Island could see a growth in tourism if it considered offering new experiences, like casinos.

"We need to be able to provide another alternative to the tourist," he said, adding: "You need to diversify your offerings".

But Sir John Swan ended the night by urging all of the powerful industry insiders to decide together what was best for Bermuda's tourism industry.

He said: "We are not depending on government any more for a plan. We had a riot, we had demonstrations, we have been waiting 30 years now for a change.

"Let's change it not by government, let the private sector take this change in our hands. We need government, but government doesn't make money, doesn't make good business decisions."