Interviews from visitors bound for home over the summer have shed light on the results of local efforts to boost tourism.

Tourism Minister Gary Phillips disclosed the recent findings in the Department of Tourism's Airport Study for the period between June and August of this year.

He noted: "The Airport Study is one of the best measurements we have of the experience of our visitors have on Island.'' Six interviewers are stationed at the airport where they ask some 4,500 people a year a battery of questions about their experiences on the Island.

At the end of each quarter, the Department gets highlights of the findings plus a detailed analysis.

"This gives us a pretty good gauge about what is working and what is not working,'' said Mr. Phillips.

"It is one additional piece of information that we can use when talking to our industry partners about what the Country and the Department can do to make Bermuda more attractive to our visitors as we move forward.'' Demographics obtained from the study indicate that these visitors are more upscale travellers than those in years past.

Mr. Phillips pointed out: "This is consistent with the thrust this year of the Five Year Bermuda Tourism Plan. Bermuda is a destination for the discerning traveller who has experienced other first class destinations around the world.'' The Tourism for 2002 campaign was introduced in March and changes in trip characteristics are now being identified, he continued.

Visitors appear to be better educated, more affluent with the greater percentage of them falling in the higher earning categories.

"Fifty-two percent of the people who visited over this period earn $100,000 or more per year,'' revealed Mr. Phillips.

This figure has shown a constant increase since 1992 when only 22 percent of the Island's visitors fell into this category.

And while inflation had to be factored in when calculating this increase, it was not the only reason behind it.

"There are more people coming who are in that category,'' he stated.

Even the category of people earning $75,000 or more each year has grown.

Mr. Phillips said: "I believe we are attracting a more discerning audience with people who are looking for more in a holiday experience.'' And this raises the bar the Island has to jump over.

"The big thing now is are we delivering? These people expect nothing but the best.'' One of the Island's chief attributes is that 97 percent of the visitors interviewed held the view that Bermuda is a place where one can relax.

"This is a big plus for us. The people who are earning that much money are middle-class at least and are likely to be in highly stressful positions,'' pointed out Mr. Phillips.

"If there is an environment where they can relieve stress, it speaks volumes.

It means we are delivering something the discerning traveller is looking for.'' Visitors also identified the Island's clean beaches and local efforts to make them feel welcome as top attributes.

Elsewhere it was shopping showing the biggest improvement in its visitor rating after suffering a decline in approval last year.

Over June, July and August of last year, 55 percent of interviewed visitors rated the Island shopping highly. That figure rose to 67 percent this year.

Also showing a jump was the number of visitors who rated the Island's night life highly. This climbed from 33 percent over the last summer to 41 percent this year.

"These comments are a tremendous testimony to the people of Bermuda.'' But other sections of the study do not shine as brightly.

There has been little movement over the last three years in the percentage of visitors interviewed who would be very likely to return to the Island.

This figure hit 79 percent in June, July and August of this year as compared to 80 and 81 percent during the same periods in 1997 and 1996 respectively.

"There has been no movement here. This needs to be worked on,'' stressed Mr.

Phillips.

And other unfavourable comments in the study, which were pointed out by some 50 percent of the people interviewed, were mainly focussed on the costs involved in a Bermuda vacation.

"With a higher demographic profile with more earning power, they are not speaking to the cost of the vacation but whether they are getting their money's worth.'' "They need to get their money's worth,'' stressed Mr. Phillips. "Cost is still something they notice.'' The study's findings will not go unheeded, he added.

"Now we will take this information and put it in the mix for the programmes which are due next year.

"We will be looking at the verbatim reports visitors leave with us and make sure that we build a programme and integrated marketing plan that corrects these negatives while at the same time builds on the positive things.'' SURVEY SUR