The new tourism campaign unveiled on Thursday night suggests that Government's decision to "re-brand" tourism is headed in the right direction.

In many ways, this is a "back to the future" approach which tries to recapture some of what makes Bermuda special and different.

That's a relief after the dizzying marketing and policy U-turns and changes of direction of the past few years, it is a relief to see the Tourism Ministry focus on what Bermuda really has to offer and makes the Island special, instead of presenting it as something which it is not.

The sheer cost and needs of the Bermuda economy demand that the Island attracts affluent visitors. Bermuda also needs to use its natural advantages to the best effect.

Its proximity to the US Northeast, modern infrastructure, gracious style of life and natural beauty are all assets that need to be promoted. So too are the Island's British traditions, natural friendliness and multicultural heritage.

The campaign now being introduced by the Tourism Ministry with advertising agency Arnold Worldwide accomplishes much of that and the television ads are particular striking.

The risk with, in effect, saying "we only want rich people" is that that other potential visitors who can well afford a Bermuda vacation will choose not to come.

There is a little of that in the ads as they try to get across an "elegant fun" image of Bermuda and these ads may need some modification.

There is some risk too that the print ads will not stand out from the crowd.

But on the whole this campaign, which can be seen at Number Six Shed, is well done and gets Bermuda back to basics.

The logo for Bermuda - a pair of shorts in different pastel colours - is first class, clearly identifying the Island and having some fun too. It is a welcome replacement for the meaningless longtail logo that preceded it.

No advertising campaign can solve all of Bermuda's tourism problems, however.

Promising the world in your advertising and then failing to deliver when the visitor arrives is a recipe for disaster.

That means that Bermuda still has to deal with the problems of cost and service.

Even the very rich know when they are being gouged - that's why they are rich - and will balk at astronomical air fares or room rates that can't be justified.

And Bermuda is expensive. The airlines need to be convinced that they can do better if they will lower rates and increase capacity while there is less that can be done about room rates or the cost of services in Bermuda.

But a great deal can be done about service, which remains patchy even in the best properties. Everyone in Bermuda has to treat every visitor like they are the most special person in the world from the minute they step off the plane until the minute their return flight departs.

The young people at the National Tourism Conference were told that a person who has a good holiday will tell five people but a person who has a bad one will tell nine.

The best advertising campaign in the world will get some people to decide to come to Bermuda, but it cannot guarantee them a wonderful holiday. It's up to the whole community to make sure that the reality lives up to the promise.