Smuggler's Cove - a business in Dockyard's Clock Tower Mall - closed its doors over the week-end, citing poor sales.

And owner John Casling, who also owns several other local businesses including Smuggler's Reef and Buds, Beans and Books on Front Street said more closures could follow.

"We don't have enough shoppers to support overhead. It's useless," Mr. Casling said, adding it is a problem that is affecting many retailers.

Mr. Casling concluded: "It is dead for everyone."

He predicted this could be the toughest winter ever, for retailers or anyone with a tourist-related business. He said the season had shrunk to about five months, and that within weeks Bermuda would be in for, at a minimum, a seven-month off-season.

Smuggler's Cove, which Mr. Casling said opened about nine years ago, employed two persons.

But the closure had not resulted in job loss, as those persons could be moved in to one of his other businesses. However part-time staff at several of his operations have been cut.

Mr. Casling declined to name which of his other businesses could be affected.

But he did say: "We are closing stores because the figures are an absolute joke. You just have to walk down Front Street to see there is no-one here - stores are empty."

Closing further operations would lead to job cuts, he explained.

One of his businesses - Buds, Beans and Books - was keeping afloat, but that was from the support of locals who work in the area.

Mr. Casling, speaking of the downturn in visitor arrivals, said it was a continuing trend over several years, and that the events of September 11 only made things worse.

"Our figures were down 20 percent before September 11 - that was just the nail in the coffin," he said.

On the local front, Mr. Casling said retailers are having to compete with an increasing move from residents toward Internet shopping, and the long-time trend to shop overseas.

When asked what could be done to turn the situation around, Mr. Casling said it would help if locals shopped at home and it was also key to stop any further closure of tourist properties.

Close to 40 guest accommodations had closed their doors - or converted to residential units - since 1980.

"If they keep on closing, there won't be enough places for tourists to stay," Mr. Casling said.

To the Ministry of Tourism, Mr. Casling begged that it "do anything", adding: "We are doing the same thing as in the 60s. We aren't trying anything new."

Mr. Casling said no one wants to look at the possibility of gambling, but that it has helped the tourism industry in other places and said he would, at least, be in favour of putting it on the table for discussion.

And Mr. Casling questioned forecasts by Tourism in the last year which claimed Bermuda was on the road to recovery.

"Who is making these predictions?" he asked, adding the department should recognise they are not capable of handling the current situation, and bring in experts - or spread some of the nearly $40 million marketing campaign it administers to hard-hit hoteliers, restaurateurs and retailers.