Premier Dr. Ewart Brown convened his tourism summit late last week, bringing together some industry leaders to brainstorm how to turn around what is shaping up to be a poor year and how to improve Bermuda's tourism performance in the future.

The mere fact that Dr. Brown was prepared to consult with others about tourism is welcome news, not least because, based on the combined Cabinet Office/Progressive Labour Party spin machine's efforts, ordinary citizens of Bermuda could be forgiven for thinking that previous improvements in tourism were due solely to one man.

Still, it would be uncharitable to be churlish now, so the fact the Premier is reaching out is good news. And it would also be uncharitable to think that things must be pretty serious if the Premier is actively seeking help.

But to take the high road, the meeting is a good first step and the fact that they will now be convened every three months is also welcome. For now, cynics should put aside their memories that this is precisely what the Tourism Board is supposed to do, along with the apparently inactive Bermuda Alliance for Tourism (BAT).

So what did last week's meeting of the minds come up with?

Some ideas, including new initiatives in the UK and Canada, evidently need more discussion and have not been made public.

A short term decision to increase marketing in Bermuda's main market of the New York City area was made.

A long term decision to seek year-round flights out of Charlotte, North Carolina was also reached.

Perhaps most importantly, the summit agreed on the need for more duty free shopping for visitors. This is likely to be controversial, since Government depends on duty for about one-third of its revenues, but the fact that the Premier apparently supports it means it could become reality.

That would do a great deal for the Island's beleaguered retailers and would also be a real incentive for visitors to the Island.

All the same, one cannot help feeling that this summit has turned out to be rather less than it was originally advertised.

More marketing in New York makes sense, but is hardly groundbreaking and the same can be said of once again seeking a year-round flight out of Charlotte.

To some extent, as Dr. Brown has said previously, Bermuda is a victim of circumstances out of its control. Rising oil prices make air travel more expensive and airlines are cutting routes. And the weak US economy means that travel is a luxury some Americans must forego in any event.

For a high cost destination like Bermuda, this is especially difficult.

The truth is, as ever, that there are no quick or easy answers to Bermuda's tourism travails.

Local costs, not only in hotels but in shops, in transport, restaurants and the like, is a major deterrent, especially if the visitor perceives that they are not getting value for money.

Bermuda also needs to improve its general infrastructure. No one can fault Dr. Brown or Government for their efforts in either seeking new developers or offering incentives to existing properties. But global competitors keep raising the bar, and this is difficult for a market where returns on investment are low, due to the high cost of construction and the like.

But the fact is that it is unlikely that there will be any kind of miracle turnaround this year. Nor is there a single panacea.

What is needed now is a cohesive and structured long term plan, with realistic targets for arrivals, that will set tourism on a sound footing once and for all.