rise in guests.

And the Princess hotels will also remain open -- despite plans for winter revamps.

It means none of Bermuda's major hotels will shut down during the off-season.

The news reflects rising hopes about a tourism turnaround for Bermuda.

Latest arrival figures show a 17.4 percent jump in tourists to 15,502.

This is for the week, August 30-September 5, and is part of a continuing upward trend.

Between January 1 and September 5 there has been a 10.8 percent increase in arrivals over last year.

Yesterday's announcement by Sonesta Beach's managing director Mr. David Boyd ended weeks of speculation.

He said: "We are hopeful that the momentum that we built this year will spill into the winter season by offering competitive rates and added value to our winter visitors.'' Mr. Boyd said he had also wanted to keep his hotel staff employed.

Management have been pleased at a resurgence this year in occupancy levels.

They point to "attractive'' rates, family holiday packages, a bumper advertising campaign, and good spring air fares.

Sonesta's business boom earned a page spread in a United States travel magazine last month.

The article in Travel Agent was headed "An Informal Occasion''.

It was sub-titled "Sonesta's family packages and more casual environment are generating business''.

In the piece, Mr. Boyd said 15 percent of Sonesta's summer business came from families.

They were lured by some of the most competitive family packages on the Island, he claimed.

Yesterday Mr. Boyd said he was hopeful the hotel would capitalise on a Department of Tourism's winter promotion.

Bermuda's five major hotels are involved in the venture aimed at pumping up business between November and March.

It involves targeting big businesses overseas to woo them into holding conferences here.

"I am certain that it will generate group business for the winter period,'' said Mr. Boyd.

He added Sonesta planned to go ahead with "capital projects'', and arrangements had been made not to inconvenience guests.

Mr. Stephen Barker, regional vice-president of the Princess hotels, also announced there would be no winter closures.

The Southampton Princess was earmarked for a major renovation, however.

This would involve creating a new lobby bar, and a small lounge area.

Mr. Barker said Hamilton's Princess Hotel would also be given the traditional winter spruce-up.

"We will definitely, though, be remaining opening in the winter as we were last year.'' Mr. Barker said both hotels had experienced a minor improvement in occupancy levels.

"It is nothing, however, to get too excited about. We are still far down on what we see as necessary to make for a reasonable operation.'' Last month Marriott's Castle Harbour also announced it would be remaining open, as did Elbow Beach.

In the last two years Castle Harbour has shut its doors during the regular winter refurbishment.

General Manager Mr. Roger Borsink said this year's revamp would be carried out in December and January.