high selling US newspaper.

Newsday, a 500,000 circulation New York state daily, decided to conduct their own research, following tit-for-tat advertising by Bermuda and the Hamptons.

The paper sent reporters to the Island and to the US east coast in a bid to discover whether the commercials were on the mark or barking up the wrong tree.

And the results, published in the paper yesterday, have delighted Tourism Minister David Allen.

He claimed the two narratives showed Bermuda was best, adding that he thought the story was wonderful.

His words were echoed by Bermuda Hotel Association president Muriel Richardson who said she thought the Island came out favourably in the stories.

Newsday sent reporters Hugo Kugiya to the Hamptons and Andrew Metz to Bermuda last weekend.

During his stay, Mr. Metz interviewed Bermudians and Americans on holiday, some believing the two places were not comparable, others loving Bermuda's crystal clear water and sandy beaches.

But, he said, for those expecting something similar to the Hamptons, there would be disappointment -- the two places were not in the same league.

And the Island was criticised for its heat, lack of hire cars, shops closing on Sunday, high prices and the automatic 15 percent gratuity on checks.

But it won out for its ease of access from the US, available accommodation and friendly service.

The Hamptons, said Mr. Kugiya, were often booked up months in advance and those without club membership or a home in the area tend to feel left out of the area's amenities.

Golf was impossible, he said, and there is competition for everything -- from parking and shopping to restaurant reservations.

The visit came after Long Island hit back at Bermuda over its comparison advertisements in Stateside newspapers and radio, poking fun at the area.

The Long Island Convention and Visitor Bureau ran its own commercial in the New York Times, with their own reasons why people should visit the Hamptons instead of Bermuda.

And they followed other controversial commercials on Scotland and Venice, which some called to be dropped but, according to Mr. Allen, resulted in increased calls about Island holidays.

Newsday assistant managing editor Miriam Pawel said they had watched the rival campaigns and wanted to take a light-hearted approach, testing the claims made by both.

She added that they did not set out to find a winner, but compared the high and low points of each destination.

NEWSPAPER NJ