The Island's annual temperature guarantee scheme has been kicked off with a new four-pronged campaign that focuses on Bermuda's cultural attractions and includes significantly more hotels than last year.

In the past, participating hotels would offer guests a discounted room rate for each day that local temperatures failed to reach 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

The next day, participating stores offered cut-rate prices to the holders of special "passports'' that were provided by the hotels.

This year, however, the scheme has been expanded to include free next-day admission to virtually all of the Island's cultural attractions as well as free transportation on Bermuda's buses and ferries.

Among the attractions that have signed on with the programme are the National Gallery, the Maritime Museum, the Bermuda Aquarium, Fort St. Catherine, Crystal Caves, Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, the showing of the Bermuda Journey film in St. George's and all National Trust properties.

The Tourism Department's assistant director of marketing, Mr. Peter Smith, More hotels join scheme From Page 1 purpose of including Bermuda's cultural attractions was to foster an image of the Island as an interesting all-season destination.

"It's a natural hook on which foreign travel journalists can write about the cultural side of Bermuda,'' Mr. Smith said of the scheme's new elements.

"This is an exercise in long-term image-building. It is not a merchandising programme.'' As a result, the scheme's traditional hotel discount will figure less prominently in overseas ad campaigns, Mr. Smith said.

It has also been altered from 20 percent in 1993 to 10 percent this year to attract as many as hotels as possible.

"We needed more hotels,'' said Mr. Smith. "This year we have large hotels, small hotels, cottage colonies and guest houses. They represent a wide cross-section of Island accommodations.'' A total of 29 hotels have signed up for the programme this year, Mr. Smith confirmed. Last year, 11 participated.

As in the past, hotel discounts will be based on the highest temperature between midnight and 5 p.m. on the days in question.

Temperatures will be printed on the front page of The Royal Gazette . The scheme runs from January to March.