Once Bermuda's major economic pillar, the tourism industry has been set upon by hard times this decade.

So when voters go to the polls on November 9, they must decide which party is better equipped to take the tourism into the next Millennium.

The industry has provided jobs and wealth to Bermudians of all ages and walks of life for many years. However the number of jobs and amount of wealth has slid. Since 1993, the Tourism Department has received some $150 million through Budgets to finance the fight against the fall.

But over that time visitor accommodations and restaurants have been forced to close their doors, eight major hotels released combined financial statements indicating they had lost almost $7 million and -- for many critics the most telling indictment of all -- visitor arrivals have dropped.

But a new era is upon us, argues the reigning United Bermuda Party, which claims that its policies have stopped the slide and turned the industry around.

Tourism Minister David Dodwell, an MP for Southampton West, stressed: "It's not just about arrivals. The turnaround is happening. Hotels have reported a good year, occupancies are up, room nights are up, visitor spending is up and people are staying longer.'' While the past few years had been hard, he continued, they had also been a time for transition, facilitation and the development of partnerships between the private and public sectors.

This had led to the creation of a new cruise ship policy and marketing focus and culminated in the Five Year Strategic Marketing and Business Plan -- Tourism 2002.

This new attitude of cooperation and focus was being bought into, he added, which was key to its evolution. Monitor Company had helped the process by sharpening the Country's focus on what needed to be done.

"The plan straddles the past and is our vision for the future,'' said Mr.

Dodwell.

"One of the critical aspects of the plan is that many people worked very hard on it and it is important for people to buy into; frankly, it is important for them.'' The plan stresses marketing, product improvement and tourism appreciation -- getting everyone to recognise the industry's importance -- and promotes the formation of a Bermuda Tourism Authority to facilitate this.

"The goal of the Authority,'' said Mr. Dodwell, "is to broaden the responsibility on the management of tourism to everyone in the Country.'' And all Bermudians putting their heart and soul collectively into refocussing Bermuda tourism for all Bermudians was the key to future success, he warned.

"We have no other option for the future success of tourism. There is no choice but to work together cooperatively to rebuild tourism. That should be our collective goal.'' Other performance indicators for the industry would have to include the purchase of the Princess Hotels by Canadian Pacific, the multi-million dollar refurbishment at Elbow Beach resort and the plans to develop the old Club Med property in the East End, Par-La-Ville car park and the former military bases in the West End with new tourism properties.

This investment showed faith in Bermuda and Bermudians, said Mr. Dodwell.

For the Progressive Labour Party, tourism's decline is a result of bad management and requires a change in leadership to revive tourism and subsequently make it better than it was before.

"While we obviously believe there is a need for revival, we really need to make it more successful than it was in the past,'' said Shadow Tourism Minister David Allen. And the drop in air arrivals is the reason for the industry's downturn, he continued.

"There isn't a business in the world that could survive profitably when it has lost one in five of its clientele -- particularly the client who spends the most money and employs the most people.'' In Bermuda's case this was the person who arrived by air and stayed in a hotel, he pointed out.

And whereas the UBP wished to get all Bermudians focused on the task of revitalising tourism, the PLP "want to put the Bermuda back in Bermudian tourism, in all its many shapes and forms''. Presently Bermuda seemed very everyday but very expensive.

"We feel that the marketing has lost the Island's soul, the things that make Bermuda unique, the things which will attract visitors to Bermuda.'' The PLP will endeavour to accentuate Bermuda's and Bermudians natural qualities through advertising, marketing and the deliverance of its on-Island product.

Mr. Allen said this would include the promotion of local entertainment and the numerous adventure sports the Island could host. These would also help trigger the image of Bermuda being a youthful and dynamic location, something the $32 million Let Yourself Go advertising campaign had failed to do.

The PLP, he continued, would offer incentives to encourage the development of these areas. Further incentives would be offered to encourage family vacationers, he added, in a move to drum up business during the flat months of June, July and August.

And the party would go after specific niche markets in the areas of cultural, environmental and educational tourism. These areas, noted Mr. Allen, were truly unique in Bermuda and could offer visitors new experiences. In order to further boost the on-Island product, the PLP would review the taxes the industry presently faced and offer further incentives to breathe life into it -- particularly on a seasonal basis.

Particularly key to the PLP's platform, he continued, was the need to boost morale amongst the workers in the tourism industry and trigger more Bermudian involvement. To do this the PLP would introduce the industry to young children at schools and also promote role models in the industry who could show young Bermudians that they could make it to the top in tourism.

A Bermuda Tourism Authority was not in the PLP's election platform, added Mr.

Allen.

Instead the party would look at restructuring the existing Tourist Board and give it more power to promote marketing, advertising and product development while leaving regulatory controls to the Department.

THE UBP CASE The UBP has defended its record pointing out: Occupancies are up Room nights are up Visitor spending is up People are staying longer A new cruise ship policy A five-year Strategic Marketing and Business Plan THE PLP CASE The Opposition say a PLP Government will: Drive to increase air arrivals Promote local entertainment Encourage family vacationers Target niche markets Boost morale Restructure Tourist Board David Dodwell David Allen