Tourism workers could be soon going for gold as part of a concerted effort to improve the vacation experience.

A national "finishing school'' could be established to polish the skills of employees connected to one of the pillars of the economy -- which provides jobs for at least half of the working population.

It would provide a unified standard which all workers have to reach in order to receive Government accreditation -- giving an end result of a better service to the visitor.

A similar system has been used to great success in Singapore and industry executives said it could be one way of ensuring the community "buys into'' the need to update tourism.

Ian Smith, chairman of the retail division of the Chamber of Commerce, said it was important that everybody -- from bus drivers to shop assistants to waitresses -- understood the importance of brushing up their skills.

"A finishing or training school could take people from within the industry, educate them in customer service or selling skills,'' he said.

But he stressed the size of the task ahead, persuading around 17,000 workers to accept some "ownership'' in their jobs and relate what they do directly to the tourist dollar.

"It will be a tough job,'' he said. "A national certification is the way forward, bringing a gold seal.

"If you can unify the message, that will help going forward.'' The idea came from the ground-breaking conference held between tourism officials and the private sector this week.

Tourism Minister David Allen laid his policies on the table to gauge opinion from the business community, as to whether they believed the marketing effort was heading in the right direction.

And in turn, members of the retail and service sector are to collaborate with Government statisticians to provide valuable feedback on the visitors that come each year.

"We can get a breakdown of who is spending dollars, who is returning, so you can work hand in hand with statisticians,'' said Mr. Smith. "By February we have got to have a clear strategy for where want to go, with Bermuda as a brand name.

"Who are we appealing to? Are we marketing Bermuda to the right people? What experiences do we want to offer? We need to look very hard at Bermuda from every conceivable angle.

"If we really want to be world class, we have to be concerned with improving the product.'' The retail sector could be at the forefront of the moves, with sales assistants in the front line dealing with tourists on a day-to-day basis.

They could become ambassadors for Bermuda, not only selling products, but providing advice for holidaymakers.

And the evolution of duty-free sales could really aid the Island in attracting vacationers for a shopping trip.

"The airport exit surveys show the first reason to come is rest and relaxation, and the second most important thing is shopping,'' Mr. Smith said.

"To have to compare us with Bond Street in London or Rodeo Drive -- we have a long way to go.'' Service: Ian Smith