Guest workers and Bermudians seeking work in hotels and the tourism sector in general should be taught about the importance of saying ?Good Morning? and ?Good Afternoon? and reciprocating greetings and acknowledgements.

With more than 25 years experience representing the hotel industry John Harvey believes the social etiquette of Bermuda that was once strongly ingrained in Islanders has declined amongst residents and is lacking, often through ignorance, in guest employees who work on the Island.

It is one of the components that has played a part in the decline of the level of service at hotels and in hospitality generally.

The chief executive of both the Bermuda Hotel Association and the Hotel Employers of Bermuda organisation, Mr. Harvey said: ?It is something that needs to be addressed.?

In a full interview in today?s , Mr. Harvey also speaks about worries over visitors on occasion being unable to secure taxis to and from the Airport.

Although not yet advocating hotels run their own shuttle services, he says something needs to be done to improve the situation and that could include buses being used to transport visitors from Dockyard freeing up taxis for the rest of the Island.

He is adamant the Island needs to keep a close check on its balance between air arrival and cruise ship visitors, does not see the need for a tourism authority to replace the current set-up of a Tourism Ministry, and explains why he thinks there has been a healthy working relationship with the Bermuda Industrial Union under former president Derrick Burgess since the early 1990s.

On the missing Bermudian standard of civility and custom within the hospitality sector, Mr. Harvey said: ?We are finding it difficult to attract the quality people to come here.?

One of the key aspects that needs to be dealt with is a form of ?Bermuda orientation? for guest workers and even residents seeking work within the hospitality sector.

?In the 1950s, before tourism really got going, it was in bred into us to say ?Good Morning? or ?Good Afternoon? when we met someone. We were told to look someone in the eye and say ?Good Morning?.?

When guest workers are either ignorant of, or disregard such delicate nuances of Bermudian culture, including the simple greeting of raising a hand of acknowledgement in passing, it can quickly be interpreted by a Bermudian as disrespect or, as was in years gone by, tantamount to racism.

An industrial dispute can be sparked simply by co-workers or workers and bosses not fulfilling Bermudian social etiquette.

It is something that crosses the boundary of tourism and hotels into Island life itself, he explained.

?Bermuda has a culture that has been around for a long time. Not all our guest workers have been moulded in that culture. I can spot a Bermudian by their demeanour.

?But we are all, here on the Island, Bermudian residents and we all have a role to play. That (Bermudian) training thing is so important.?

Mr. Harvey has heard concerns about guest workers being brought to work in hotels but even having difficulty speaking English.

He said: ?It is important to us that guests receive the best service. If we had all Bermudian workers it would be wonderful, but many Bermudians who have worked in the industry before and are now parents themselves tell their kids they expect them to have different aspirations.

?Bermudians have been working in hotels to pay for their schooling and then move out to work for an employer that does not require the working of unsociable hours. It takes a special breed to get around that, but it has provided an awful lot for Bermuda.?