Government backbencher Wayne Perinchief and Community Affairs Minister Randolph Horton came to the defence of Tourism Minister David Allen after the Opposition United Bermuda Party (UBP) launched an all out assault on Mr. Allen's "abysmal, dismal failure" in resurrecting tourism.

During the motion to adjourn of Friday's House of Assembly sitting, the UBP had some suggestions of their own on improving the performance of the industry - Mr. Allen should stay home more often and reallocate his spending priorities.

"He should be here managing our tourism," shadow Minister David Dodwell said.

Mr. Dodwell said that local attitudes toward the industry could be addressed by reviewing the public education curriculum.

He recommended boosting the budget of the Visitor Industry Partnership (VIP) which gets a "paltry sum" of $125,000 out of an annual $35 million allocated to tourism.

"Give it life," urged Mr. Dodwell.

On local attitudes in the industry, he said: "We've lost it. Have we lost it completely? No - we have examples but we don't have enough.

"This is not a hotel problem, this is not a restaurant problem. This is a national problem."

He said "millions of dollars" should go to the VIP. "I'm talking about a massive campaign to rebuild our attitude."

And he cited survey statistics that showed that visitors left the Island feeling they had not received value for money.

Mr. Allen responded by touting accomplishments such as the Hotel Concessions Act and incentive programmes for visitors which cut the costs of coming here.

"Government has created a real innovative tax strategy to assist properties in reinventing themselves," he said.

And there were significant incentives for businesses to invest in human resources. "It's about Government giving the tools to the private sector to do more. Do you think if they saw it as bad that very savvy companies like Canadian Pacific and the Fairmont Hotels would invest $55 million? I don't think so," he said.

He also pointed out that Mr. Dodwell's property The Reefs had invested more than $5 million and received $1.7 million in rebates.

"They would not have gotten the financing from their bank if they thought the future was that bad - it ain't that bad," Mr. Allen said.

"Actions speak louder than words. The shadow Tourism Minister's actions are speaking louder than his words."

He added that the Opposition was sounding almost socialist for its insistence that Government spend more.

The Minister defended Government spending on marketing, saying Bermuda, with its high costs of living, was a "tough sell".

Despite that, the percentage of repeat visitors is a high 52 percent. "No other destination has such a high return rate."

Opposition MP Maxwell Burgess said that should be put into proper perspective. "You have 52 percent of the lowest numbers of people - 52 percent of nothing is nothing."

He rejected Mr. Allen's characterisation of Mr. Dodwell as always having a "dark cloud" over his head.

"It is hotel workers who have a dark cloud over their heads. It is taxi drivers who have a dark cloud over their head," he said. "It is all of us who rely on the tourism dollar who have a dark cloud over their head."

He commended the hotels for their commitment but said: "While they are here trying to fill the rooms, the Minister is in someone else's room."

He said Government must "come to grips with its role". The Minister, he said, should 'try and stay for a while and get a sense of what the private sector is doing while he hasn't been here". And he called on the Minister to take his head out of the sand.

"It's not a pretty sight when you've got your head in the sand. You might have done your best but if the best isn't good enough find another minister."

Mr. Burgess' colleague Michael Dunkley ridiculed Mr. Allen's suggestion that things aren't that bad. "If things aren't that bad in tourism then every Government member should stand up to support him," he said.

"I do support what our Government is doing in relation to tourism," said Minister Horton, a training manager for the Hamilton Princess.

He said the Opposition was not being objective in its criticisms. As an insider he was in a better position that the Opposition critics to know what people in the industry were thinking, he said.

"We stand on the floor of the House and we kill the spirit of those people who are working in this industry," he said.

"I know what they are doing to improve the standard of tourism in this country."

And he blamed the previous UBP Government for "taking its eye of the ball" for the state of tourism.

"When they (UBP) stand on their feet let them feel more," he said. The curriculum was being revisited, he added.

"We understand training and the people who come to Bermuda have great expectations, very high expectations.The bar gets higher every day."

"We're not doing well but we are not in the doldrums."