heritage and sell the town to a new breed of visitor.

Disappointed after missing out on a cash settlement from a cruise line that overbooked one of its vessels, the town is now hoping the Department of Tourism will divert some those dollars its way.

Both the Corporation of St. George's and St. George's Foundation want to tap into the niche market of cultural tourism and they are hoping for some benefit from the recently boosted tourism coffers.

Norwegian Cruise Lines agreed to pay $500,000 this year for cooperative marketing in the US, and $200,000 a year thereafter to the Department of Tourism, after busting passenger limits on its Norwegian Majesty vessel.

In the deal announced by Tourism Minister David Allen they are allowed to bring in up to 1,900 tourists a week into St. George's in return for setting aside 100 cruise and stay berths.

St. George's Mayor Henry Hayward said he was disappointed that the town -- which was awarded the prestigious World Heritage Site status recently -- had missed out on the settlement.

"I would have hoped that if there was any settlement regarding financial payments it would have gone towards the town's benefit,'' he said.

Mr. Hayward said with several preservation projects on going in the town, it would have been apt for some good to come their way.

"We are looking to Government to assist in every way possible, it could be advertising, building the town up.'' He said the Norwegian Majesty had been an important visitor to the town and the extra passengers would be appreciated by the retailers.

And he added that it was tough to put a passenger cap on the vessel when the cruise and stay programme was not yet taking off.

"The cruise and stay programme is a very hard thing to sell. The shops would be happy with the extra numbers. If the berths are sitting there, it seems a shame.'' Mr. Hayward said he was not concerned at this point about the pressure on the town's infrastructure from the extra people, but said they would look at it if plans for a new hotel at the Club Med site went ahead.

St. George's Foundation chairman Louis Mowbray said they were working hand in hand with the Department of Tourism, following their World Heritage Site success.

He said the advent of cultural tourism meant the town would be looking towards attracting vacationers who were interested in architecture and history -- tour groups and perhaps university visits.

With the other attractions in the town and the beaches, he said the whole package needed pulling together and pitching overseas -- and that could be where the Department of Tourism comes in.

"We are going to have to concentrate on this niche, that involves slightly different market than Bermuda has been in for the last few years. "That needs to be put together. The pieces are all there, it just needs to be put together.

"There is certainly room for some additional dollars to be spent in that direction, from everything we have heard Tourism are prepared to do that.

"We are a team, we are not fighting each other. I am sure some resources will be put in that direction.'' Director of Tourism Richard Calderon said the money from NCL, which will add up to $900,000 over the life of their contract, would go towards advertising Bermuda as a destination in the north east US.

"It will benefit all the players, not just cruise lines but hotels as well,'' he said. "We are promoting Bermuda as a destination, creating awareness, just to get people raising their hand saying they want to go to Bermuda.'' He said the advertising, which would substantially boost their budget in the US, would benefit Bermuda as a whole and therefore St. George's.

CRUISE SHIP SHI