The president of the Bermuda Hotel Association is hoping to revive interest in water taxis despite a lukewarm response from commercial boat operators.

BHA president Michael Winfield, who is also president of Cambridge Beaches, said attempts at getting a water taxi service launched earlier this year at the Somerset resort were sunk when advertisements for the scheme drew only three responses.

Mr. Winfield is now hoping that beefed-up marketing efforts later this year will attract more interest.

?Water taxis have lucrative potential,? Mr. Winfield, who would like to see the service offered between his hotel and Hamilton, said.

?The success of Bermuda?s tourism industry is dependent on Bermuda offering a wide array of facilities and transportation alternatives,? Mr. Winfield said. ?Our market looks for convenience and people don?t mind paying for water taxis as long as they get value.

Despite Mr. Winfield?s optimism, several commercial boat operators remain sceptical.

President of Bermuda Island Cruises, Derek Morris, said high fuel costs and competition from fast ferries would make it difficult to introduce water taxis in Bermuda.

?I don?t see people spending more than $4 or $5 on a trip from Hamilton to Dockyard. We have a good fast ferry and bus system and to justify high fuel prices to run a water taxi you would need a high volume of passengers,? Mr. Morris said.

Ronnie O?Connor, owner of Consort Cruises, said he did not think water taxis would work.

He said many passengers would be needed to cover fuel costs and staff would be required to work between 12 to 14 hours a day. Besides the competition from fast ferries, water taxis would have to be seaworthy enough to withstand winter conditions in the Great Sound and have an enclosed area.

?I am sure water taxis will be eventually introduced as there is a potential market there but to make it pay you would have to work long hours,? Mr. O?Connor said. Nigel Prescott, owner of The Lady Tamara (Group Charters), suggested there are a number of things that could be done to make water taxis feasible.

He said the Commercial Boat Operators Association has asked the Government for mooring space and wants dockage fees to be abolished.

A reduction in fuel tax would also assist boat operators, Mr. Prescott said.

Bermuda Alliance for Tourism (BAT) executive director Wayne Smith said his group was backing the scheme.

?Tourism and Transport Minister Ewart Brown has done well to encourage opportunities for Bermudian businessmen but the onus is on entrepreneurs to come forward with reasonable and feasible plans to implement the water taxi system.

?We would encourage businessmen to be innovative and think outside the box to find ways to make this a reality rather than giving up because it looks expensive. BAT is ready and willing to assist in any way we can with this initiative.?