Ticket sales for the Bermuda Music Festival have been steadily improving since the first festival nine years ago ? but many locals are upset at the lack of seating selection available.

Compared to last year's festival, the sale of tickets have increased to date with four weeks to go, said director of tourism Cherie Whitter.

A total of 3,744 tickets have been sold so far, with about 1,100 left to sell.

And about 595 travel packages have been purchased to date, starting at $950 and varying in price depending on hotel and the gateway city.

The package includes: airfare, accommodation, tickets, and transportation to and from the event and the airport.

The tickets went on sale immediately after Cup Match, with concert goers purchasing them earlier and earlier each year, said Ms Whitter.

She added that the Department of Tourism received calls well before the tickets go on sale from eager buyers.

Nine different vendors are selling the tickets locally and internationally.

Ms Whitter said that each vendor has an allocation in all seating, including general admission, reserved, and special charity tickets.

But there are some indications that locals may not be getting the opportunity to purchase the best seats.

Sound Stage employee, Paulo Arruda said the music store, which has been selling tickets since August 4, received only 16 reserved seating tickets located in the back row of the middle section. He said all of the other tickets that he was allocated were off to the sides of the stage.

"Every day we have complaints from customers," he said.

Mr. Arruda added the better seating was definitely reserved for tourists because they are paying about $1,000 for the travel package. However, he said: "Bermudians just don't look at it like that."

Sound Stage has sold about 600 tickets between all three days of the show to date and Mr. Arruda said he has about another 600 left to sell.

He added that most of the good seats go to the sponsors of the event and when asked if he felt Bermudians were being shafted with ticket sales he said: "Yes and no ? I really do not know."

Music Box owner Eddie DeMello said that none of the local stores selling tickets seemed to have centre seats.

Mr. DeMello, who only received tickets to sell after receiving many requests from customers, said that one customer told him Bermudians should boycott the show.

A 27th Century Boutique employee said that they received some front and centre stage tickets to sell, including the $125 charity reserve seating tickets. But all their $85 tickets were to the back of the reserved seating area.

The employee said that she had received some complaints from customers. received one phone call from a woman who said that she would not be attending any more Bermuda Music Festivals because she was unable to purchase good tickets.

The lady, who purchased her ticket on Tuesday from Sound Stage, said that she went to three different vendors in attempts to find good tickets, but failed.

She said she ended up settling for a corner ticket.

"To go early enough and not get anything good is pretty sad," she said.

She added that a 27th Century Boutique employee told her that she would not be able to purchase tickets online at www.bermudamusicfestival.com because they would not send them to Bermuda.

Department of Tourism assistant director of marketing, Michael DeCouto said that TicketWeb only accepts US credit card numbers and US addresses ? this is the company's policy.

The star-studded event, formerly known as the Bermuda Jazz Festival will feature artists Seal, Isaac Hayes and Anita Baker. It will run from October 7-10 with stage events taking place at the Royal Naval Dockyard.

Tickets cost $60 for general admission, $85 for reserved seating, and $125 for reserved seating with the proceeds going to Age Concern.

Three-day passes are also available at $160 for general admission and $230 for reserved seating.