not come true until the local hotel industry becomes more profitable, a top hotelier believes.

"No new hotel investment will come to Bermuda until the hotel industry becomes stronger and more financially viable,'' Bermuda Hotel Association president Mr. Stephen Barker said yesterday in answer to recent criticism about hotel physical plants.

Mr. Barker said difficult operating conditions have existed here since the late 1970s, among them being the high cost of wages and utility bills.

In the meantime the Country should be more appreciative of what Bermuda's hotels offered, which was probably more than they thought, he said.

Mr. Woolridge repeated his view in Parliament last Friday that it was not surprising the Caribbean islands were enjoying better tourism years than Bermuda since Bermuda had not had a new physical plant since 1972.

Rather than considering casinos and eco-tourism to bolster the industry, Bermuda needed new hotels and upgrades to existing ones, he said. His criticism of local hotels and their facilities was shared by a local business executive as well as Opposition MP Mr. Trevor Woolridge, who told Parliament there were hotels that did not have telephones in the rooms.

Mr. Barker, reluctant to say whether any hotels were in need of upgrading, said, "Whatever the market demands will be invested.'' As for the Minister's hope that a Four Seasons or Ritz Carlton would be built here, Mr. Barker said, "We need a much stronger and healthier industry to attract new investment.'' Mr. Barker said the BHA was doing its part by attempting to provide higher quality and taking steps to increase productivity.

He added, "Costs must be brought back into line and this is slowly happening.'' He pointed out Sonesta and Elbow Beach were in the process of spending large sums of money upgrading their facilities.

The Southampton Princess was already a five-star resort, he said, while the Hamilton Princess, though old, was "maintained to the highest standard.'' Mr.

Barker is regional director for Princess Hotels.

Perhaps the BHA would make more effort to show off its properties and ensure Bermudians were more aware of what local hotels had to offer, he said.