Every resident has to pull together and go the extra mile to give visitors a memorable experience if tourism is to pull through the current crisis, Bermuda Hotel Association president William (Billy) Griffith warned yesterday.

Occupancy levels are down to 20 percent from a normal 70 percent for the period and every hotel has had to lay off staff, he said.The first week after the September 11 attacks had caused "paralysis" in tourism and resulted in 70 percent of the cancellations the Island will experience for the following four or five weeks, said Mr. Griffith.

"In the second week, people are assessing the slowdown and there has been a slowdown in business. There has been no pickup and it's really slowed down, and there's no real trend to pick up business. Our tourism industry is far from dead. It has taken a pretty powerful blow, but people are continuing to come and we believe the numbers will continue to increase as time goes on," he said.

"We in the hotels and tourism can only do so much. The rest is up to every single person in Bermuda.

"If ever there was a time when we have to be on our best behaviour with our visitors, this is it. Every single person in Bermuda has to go the extra mile now or this isn't going to work.

"We have to stop taking our visitors for granted and give them the service that we used to be famous for. That is the most important weapon Bermuda has in the fight to win back our success in tourism." Business from Europe and Canada was still relatively strong, although there has been an understandable collapse in travel from the United States following the September 11 terrorist attacks. "When (Americans) do relax a bit and start to look for a place to get away to, we believe they are going to be looking to destinations that are close to home, where they can feel safe and secure. What better place than Bermuda?

"If we keep our heads, if we really put our backs into making people feel welcome and valued in Bermuda, we believe we have the right tools to turn this situation around as quickly as any destination can - perhaps more quickly."

See also Page 3 and 4