nonsense''.

In New York, angry Italians have been calling their own tourism bureau to complain as well as venting their fury on Bermuda tourism officials in the Big Apple.

A letter voicing concerns has even been dispatched from Italian tourism officials to Bermuda's New York Tourism office.

Patriotic Italians say the Island has gone "pasta joke'' with its new radio and newspaper commercials, which pitches Bermuda head to head against Venice for a romantic vacation.

And although the advertisements have a lighthearted jibe at Venice for its "unpredictable lira, smelly canals and noisy gondoliers'', it has hit a nerve with many Italians in the US and even the Honorary Italian Consul on the Island.

A source at the Italian Government Tourist Board said they had fielded many calls resulting from the radio and newspaper adverts, with most furious at the way their country has been maligned.

One Italian living in New York said the worst part was the comparison of the two places.

Martha Lotti, who works for Italian airline, Alitalia, said: "Venice is a city of beauty, history and art. You can't compare the two. It is like comparing Michaelangelo with a New York street artist.'' Romano Erba, Italian Honorary Consul to Bermuda, says the ads could upset many Italians, not only in the North American target area, but also in Italy -- which is currently the focus of an Island advertising campaign.

"The Bermuda Department of Tourism is spending millions of dollars in Germany, Milan and London,'' he said.

"I find it a bit counter-productive, when you are trying to attract Italian tourists to Bermuda, you don't do this type of thing -- that is the worst part.'' And Mr. Erba said making comparisons of Italy and Bermuda for romantic holidays was like comparing apples and oranges.

"You shouldn't compare because people, in general, will be offended,'' he added. "The worst part of all is the presumption -- Bermuda is not Venice.'' The ad focuses on Bermuda as opposed to Venice for a romantic holiday.

It highlights the closeness of Bermuda to the east coast of America, the "unpredictable lira'' and "expense of Italy'', "Venice's lack of beaches'', "smelly canals'' and singing gondoliers.

Whereas the ad flags Bermuda's singing tree frogs, "lily scented breezes'', and acceptance of US money.

But Mr. Erba took Bermuda to task on the money issue. He said: "The lira has always been favourable and at the moment it is a good buy with the strong dollar.'' And he said Venice had its famous Lido, complete with a casino.

"You can't compare it with Horseshoe Beach,'' Mr. Erba said. "But I can remember swimming there -- don't say Venice has no beaches because it is not true.

"In Venice they wish they had less visitors. They are considering charging to go to see the city,'' Mr. Erba added.

A letter from Eugenio Magnani, Italian travel commissioner in New York, to Bermuda Director of North American sales, Toby Dillas, criticises Bermuda for making the comparisons.

It says: "This type of campaign can backfire as many Americans and Italian Americans take offence to criticism of a place they treasure and return to year after year.

"But this is not our problem. We have to keep up our singing to entertain all the millions of people who love to visit Venice, over and over again... "Still, this is not the reason why we in Venice are expecting full capacity again this year. And I don't believe the singing alone has much to do with it.'' Ms Lotti described the adverts as pretty negative. But she added that she did not think they were derogatory about her country.

"Bermuda is a resort island. I can understand telling people not to go to the Caribbean and come to Bermuda instead,'' she said. "But it wasn't very nice for them to pick on Venice.''