Dear Sir,

For a country desperately trying to increase the numbers and length of stay of visitors it is illogical to create problems for them to stay more than three weeks.

What's the Minister of Tourism telling foreign travel agents? Is it that they can only book visitors for three weeks or less and that they should tell visitors that they will have to apply for an extension ?? writing to the Minister after they arrive. Then try to change their accommodation and return air bookings, if they can at probable penalties costwise?

Whereas it is understandable that there has to be some limit to the length of stay for visitors in order not to confuse it with residency, three weeks is for the short visitor who can afford to come to Bermuda, these days, often earn a month or more vacation. To say that visitors booked into a hotel will get preferential treatment is not only discrimination but unjustifiable, as visitors staying in private homes often stay longer and spend more money. To tell a visitor to fly to the USA and return to get a further three weeks stay is ludicrous. If they are okay to stay more than three weeks why can they not be told on arrival.

Up till now approval for extensions were given by the Immigration authorities on arrival at the airport and visitors (particularly frequent visitors) have assumed that if there was no reason to object to them they would be allowed to stay, There seems no reason why, given guidelines, this can not still be controlled by airport immigration officials.

It would seem that what this policy will do is have potential longer staying visitors not come at all or reduce their length of stay to avoid the hassle. What this policy will not do is stop persons who plan to stay illegally or are undesirable, from staying longer as they will not request an extension but will stay anyway, as they do now.

It is also illogical for the tourist minister to say that arrivals have not suffered by this new approach. If persons do not book or restrict their booking, how would he know?

HOST

Southampton