Minister, the Hon. C.V. (Jim) Woolridge.

Mr. Woolridge is backing the scheme which offers a 20 percent discount to visitors, in participating hotels and stores, if the temperatures fail to reach 68 degrees.

The scheme advertises Bermuda as a warm winter spot, guaranteeing good weather while the US freezes.

So far the temperature has remained below 68 on at least seven days -- totalling a week of discounts in the first 38 days of 1993.

And air visitor arrivals fell to their lowest January level since 1986. But hotel owners and Mr. Woolridge believe Bermuda will benefit from the Temperature Guarantee Scheme next year.

Mr. Woolridge said: "I do not think we would expect a roaring success during the first season.

"It has created a lot of interest and comments from travel writers. That means we have been able to let people know that Bermuda does not get a lot of cold weather.

"I think that next year we will begin to see the real results of this scheme in Bermuda.'' Hon. C.V. (Jim) Woolridge.