of its tourism industry while many of its immediate competitors experienced drops.

This is better than "wasting time and energy talking about whether or not we like the new advertising campaign'', Tourism Director Gary Phillips said yesterday.

He made the comment while speaking to The Royal Gazette after further criticism of the Let Yourself Go campaign was raised last week.

Shadow Tourism Minister David Allen called the campaign a failure after final figures for 1996 showed air arrivals from the United States had risen just 0.8 percent.

And Mr. Allen said Bermuda's strong cruise ship arrival figures had nothing to do with the campaign.

But Tourism's assistant marketing director Pat Phillip-Bassett said yesterday: "The objective of changing people's perceptions was definitely achieved.'' Studies showed there was a positive impact on people despite the fact there was "a lot of noise out there'' with different locations fighting for every tourism dollar.

People interviewed after seeing the Let Yourself Go ad campaign were 25 percent more likely to visit Bermuda according to a communication effectiveness study conducted recently, she said.

The Island's success should also be put into the context of how it fared against its Caribbean competitors, said Mrs. Phillip Bassett.

"We did well to hold our own as 1996 was not a good year for a lot of our competitors,'' she said.

US air arrival figures for St. Maarten plummeted 48.6 percent with the US Virgin Islands, St. Lucia, Curacao, Anguilla and Antigua also experiencing drops ranging from 27.8 per cent to 2.7 percent.

Countries which showed increases for the year were topped by the Cayman Islands at 2.7 percent followed by Jamaica (1.8), Puerto Rico (1.48), Bahamas (0.9) and St. Kitts and Nevis tied with Bermuda at O.8 percent. Barbados was below Bermuda with a 0.7 percent increase.

"By and large Bermuda should be proud it has held its own and stalled the decline,'' she said.

Mr. Phillips said studies showed visitors -- potential and actual -- were anything but offended by Let Yourself Go as many local critics had feared.

"In the markets where we've had the highest amount of awareness and presence we have seen the results'', he added.

Fifty percent of the department's advertising budget was thrust into promoting Let Yourself Go in the New York metropolitan area, New Jersey, western Connecticut and Massachusetts -- particularly Boston.

More than 60 percent of the Island visitors come from the region and it was here that air arrivals climbed by 8.4, 3.5, 6.2 and 6.3 percent respectively, he pointed out.

Tourism chiefs hit back at critics "Visitors coming from this area are our bread and butter visitors,'' said Mr.

Phillips.

Other areas were secondary markets, he said, and the department was proud of the fact that increases were seen in the areas it focused its attention on.

The strength of the cruise ship market, he continued, was attributable to overall messages about Bermuda as seen in the Let Yourself Go campaign.

The desire to visit was created and individuals them made their own decisions on how to get here, said Mr. Phillips.

He noted: "The outcome of all of this is that people must feel a sense of pride in the industry -- even when it's as bad as people would have us believe tourism is doing.'' What is important is that the advertising messages being sent out are backed up with "on-Island quality experiences'', he said.

"The entire community has to make sure visitors get 110 percent value -- that's what other countries are giving them.'' Air arrivals US Air Arrivals for the Caribbean in 1996.

(Percentage change 1995-1996) Caymans 2.7 Jamaica 1.8 Puerto Rico 1.48 Bahamas 0.9 BERMUDA 0.8 St. Kitts/Nevis 0.8 Barbados 0.7 Antigua -2.7 Anguilla -4.9 Curacao -9.4 St. Lucia -9.4 US Virgin Islands -27.8 St. Maarten -48.6 Source:Department of Tourism