is looking a lot more tentative these days.

Last week, Tourism Director Mr. Gary Phillips warned Bermudians not to expect a German wave of tourists on the Island, claiming that "the numbers will still be relatively small'' for the first few years.

And yesterday, Tourism Minister the Hon. C.V. (Jim) Woolridge confirmed that negotiations were under way with the Lufthansa subsidiary to establish a new route that was agreeable to both parties.

Originally, the airline was supposed to make a round trip from Frankfurt to Bermuda during the summer months and from Frankfurt to an undisclosed Caribbean island via Bermuda in the winter.

Condor link to Bermuda is tentative But less than stellar bookings for the weekly flight have prompted Condor to explore a summertime alternative, The Royal Gazette understands.

Yesterday, the Tourism Minister admitted that the Department's London bureau was conducting talks with the airline on "technical points'' that have yet to be ironed out.

He also dismissed a recent television report that suggested the Condor flight would make its way to Bermuda via Santo Domingo as premature.

"I know (VSB reporter) Brian Darby spoke to some airline representative in Miami,'' the Minister said, "but I prefer to deal with the chairman of the airline, and that is what the London office is doing.'' Staff in the UK office were tight-lipped, however, when asked about Condor by a Royal Gazette reporter in London on Friday.

In Bermuda yesterday, Mr. Woolridge said an announcement on the matter would be made as soon as "something more concrete'' was established.

In the meantime, the Minister also confirmed last night that New Jersey-based Kiwi International Airlines would still be operating its proposed flights to Bermuda from Chicago via Newark.

Another local TV report had stated this week that the service might be cancelled as a result of internal airline problems.

In the past several months, Kiwi has undergone a brief suspension of operation to answer questions of safety and a top-level shake-up that replaced founder and chairman Mr. Bob Iverson with current president Mr. Danny Wright.

But the Tourism Minister said yesterday: "We have been advised by the president that Kiwi has been granted approval by the (US) Federal Aviation Administration and will be coming to the Island as scheduled on May 4.''