things being "closed'' in Bermuda. We are all aware that tourist facilities need time to redecorate, refurbish and relax and that is important to the indistry. During the boom years of tourism it was considered important to have the slow winter to prepare for the season.

However, there is a limit. If we invite people to come here with promises of this and that facility then they are, quite naturally, disappointed when they arrive and find things "closed''. A full service resort which is going to make its visitors happy must be open.

We keep hearing that Bermuda needs to strengthen its visitor figures in the "off season''. There is difficulty attracting visitors to Bermuda during the winter because they know or have heard that the weather can be uncertain. That is true, but it can also be very good especially for visitors who are accustomed to a northern winter.

Nonetheless, our off-season is much cooler than the islands to our south and, indeed, much cooler than other competing resorts. Therefore we have to work harder to please the people who do come here and to get them to return another year. If we are to attract them to play golf or to enjoy the cultural experience that Bermuda does offer then we have to provide fully for their enjoyment.

That does not mean that absolutely everything has to be open but it does mean that enough of the hospitality structure has to be fully functional for visitors to enjoy Bermuda. Yes, people can close to refurbish or recouperate.

But it does mean that closing of similar facilities should be staggered so that not all are closed at once.

It also means that premises which accept guests and take their money have to provide full facilities. There seems to be a tendency to be "half closed'' and that can be very annoying for guests.

All the work going on to revive tourism will come to nothing without full cooperation.

There is a part to be played here by the Ministry of Tourism. Visitor facilities are licensed and surely that licence can cover full care of guests.

For a long time, there have been complaints about hotels and guest houses not being "up to standard''. Yet they were licensed. Surely standards can be guaranteed by the licence.

The fact is that Bermuda began as a gentle and rather sleepy resort. Quality visitors came to relax. "Bermuda, the isles of rest'' was the slogan. It was the leader in island tourism and other places struggled to match Bermuda. That is no longer true. Bermudians began to take tourist dollars for granted and standards slipped as prices increased. Bermuda is now engaged in world competition and it must compete or flounder.

Closing the doors is no help.