The most up-to-date facilities in Bermuda will not help revitalise the tourism industry unless they go hand-in-hand with a change in attitudes within the work force.

The warning came last week from the representative for the owners of the Elbow Beach Hotel in Paget, William Guthrie.

Elbow Beach, a Rafael resort, has recently pumped millions of dollars into renovating and upgrading its facilities on the South Shore.

However Mr. Guthrie noted he had just returned from vacation and he had a message for all those involved in tourism locally.

"My message is that bricks and mortar -- facilities -- are not the only thing needed to improve our tourism performance.'' While on vacation in Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket in Massachusetts, he said, "what was made very clear to me..was that I was constantly and consistently confronted with a better attitude from those providing tourism services there than I generally encounter here in Bermuda.'' Mr. Guthrie stressed that this better attitude was not confined to just these destinations as he had also encountered it throughout Europe.

Bermuda was one of the most beautiful places in the world with a high standard of living and many polite and considerable people, he said.

Given this "and given that some large percentage of Bermuda's income comes from hosting visitors who want to experience the cleanliness and beauty, why does one encounter so many people here with an arrogant, unhelpful, even hostile attitude?'' he asked.

Mr. Guthrie said he had a theory based on competition.

"When you must compete for something, you value it higher and you take care of it and nurture it.

"When something is handed to you with no effort on your part, it is worth far less to you.'' Gratuities at other destinations were "earned by a smile, by a pleasant attitude, by a helpful demeanour. Those that I pay here in Bermuda are automatic and therefore worth less to the recipient.

"When one must compete for a job, for compensation, for resources, all those things are more valuable.'' Mr. Guthrie noted that he did not have an answer to the problem.

"We must change our attitude and start welcoming those who pay our paycheques.''