Senators clashed yesterday over the increased numbers in visitor arrivals predicted for this year?s tourism season.

Tourism Minister Renee Webb said on Thursday she was revising her prediction of an increase in numbers from seven percent to up to 18 percent because hoteliers were reporting the highest bookings in seven years.

Last year, visitor numbers fell by 0.5 percent to 487,318 in part because of Hurricane Fabian.

But Opposition Senate Leader Kim Swan said during the Senate motion to adjourn yesterday that Bermuda would need a 20 percent increase to take the Island back to the visitor numbers before Fabian.

?Twenty percent is what we are expecting Government to deliver,? said Sen. Swan.

?Notwithstanding that last year was a devastating year with Fabian, 20 percent should take us back to where we were before.?

He said fear of terrorism and the strength of the Euro making Europe more expensive for American visitors ? and Bermuda cheaper for Europeans ? should deliver big increases this year.

But Government Sen. Walter Roban said the robust predictions on visitor arrival increases showed Government?s confidence in tourism was shared by those in the industry.

?(There is) confidence in the local product and investment. It is all coming together,? said Sen Roban.

?The efforts of this Government to revitalise tourism despite September 2001, despite Fabian (are working), and there is a confidence from our partners, and they are set to experience a boost in arrivals.

?It is great to hear it. Not only is Government confident about tourism, but so are the people who run it.?

He said the hoped-for revival should help stabilise tourism as Bermuda?s other pillar of the economy which has not been doing as well as international business.

Sen. Swan also warned Government leaders to antagonise the United States over Cuba because Bermuda should not take for granted Customs pre-clearance to the US.

He noted another flight Transport Minister Dr.Ewart Brown was trying to lure to the Island had failed because of problems with US Customs.

?It (Customs pre-clearance) is a privilege we should not take for granted and I find it quite ironic that this Government is looking for favours and it is same Cabinet Ministers who have caused great concern to the US Consul General with their remarks.?

But Sen. Roban said it was the airline itself that had problems with Customs clearance and it had nothing to do with Government.

Progressive Labour Party Sen Raymond Tannock urged all Bermudians to make an extra effort to ensure tourists have a special time this year on the Island.

Opposition Sen. Kenneth Bascome urged Government to cut the number of years down from seven where ex-convicts can hide their convictions when applying for jobs.

And he said the reference to ?exceptional circumstances? where convictions that could be disclosed should be removed.

UBP Sen. Leonard Santucci said he was appalled at the foul language used by two girls on a bike and urged all Bermudians to mind their language in public.

PLP Sen. Reginald Burrows criticised the media for being ?negative? by taking pictures at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital of problems with dryers.