Bermuda has not got enough beds to cater to its potential visitors, the Island's newest hotel owner warned yesterday.

And if Bermuda returned to trying to attract the business it was successful with in its heyday he continued, it would create the visitor boon the Island was thirsting for.

James Dwyer of James M. Dwyer Real Estate, Investment & Development -- who last year bought the White Sands hotel and is currently seeking out other properties -- said: "There are certainly not enough beds in Bermuda.

"I think that with the amount of tourism the Island has now and with the potential it has for the future, there are definitely not enough beds.'' When pushed about the current low visitor arrival numbers which indicated that many of the Island's beds were going empty, Mr. Dwyer said he felt change was in the air.

Pointing to the Department of Tourism's advertising agency review which is currently underway, he said he felt that "new energies will be put into a sophisticated promotion of the Island''.

He continued: "Look at the Island and the number of beds you have. There are certainly not too many.

"But in order to keep them filled, individual proprietors have to promote their product in a sophisticated way and Bermuda has to promote it in a sophisticated way -- which I know will happen.'' Mr. Dwyer recommended that Bermuda pursue the types of visitors who would serve to incubate future business through its marketing.

"Too many beds? I don't buy that. You should be bringing in more incubators.'' This included family vacationers, honeymooners and college students.

"I think you need more of an incubator aspect to your promotions. Bring honeymooners here who will come back.

"I believe that families should be promoted for Bermuda. This place is a natural habitat for the family atmosphere and members of the family will come back. "Bring in college kids who will come back when they are honeymooners or when they have families.'' Mr. Dwyer noted that in Bermuda's tourism heyday, it was the number one destination for honeymooners out of the New England/mid-Atlantic States in the US, followed by the Poconos.

A lot of college kids from those areas would have also chosen Bermuda as a Spring Break destination over Florida back then, he continued.

"Not any more,'' he said.

"You need to promote an atmosphere which shows you do not want the one-shot visitor but that you want people who will come back all the time.'' Other routes the Island needed to pursue included corporate business and golfers, continued Mr. Dwyer.

"This is a great place to have a conference. It is a study in itself to determine how you go after the conference business but it is available.

"You just need convention space.'' Turning to golf, Mr. Dwyer said he felt it would be possible for Bermuda to steal business away from Florida -- the US golfing mecca.

"Golf should be really promoted here.

"You can golf year round here, every single day. That's as good if not better than in Florida. You don't get snow here, sometimes you get snow in Florida.'' James Dwyer