An emergency infusion of cash in the Department of Tourism could help attract targeted visitors and give the industry a boost in air arrivals, according to the Opposition.

United Bermuda Party leader Kim Swan spoke yesterday about his views following the Premier's quarterly bulletin where he admitted the Island was in for some lean years in terms of tourism arrivals.

"We welcome the Premier's recognition of tough times ahead for Bermuda tourism, even though it has come late in the day," he said. "For too long he has been spinning the tourism picture to show him in the best light rather than the state of the industry in the right light."

According to figures released last week overall arrivals have slipped 4.29 percent since January, while air arrivals are down 10 percent compared to the first six months of 2007.

Mr. Swan said the UBP believes drastic action is needed and recommended focusing energy on countries with favourable exchange rates against the dollar, specifically Canada, and "surgical strikes" in proven US markets.

This would include newspaper blitzes with travel incentives or special promotions with wholesalers.

"This is about "fishing where the fish are" — in communities around our traditional gateway cities where our name is known and people have the income to enjoy a Bermuda vacation," he said.

"To back these initiatives, the United Bermuda Party will support, in principle, an emergency supplementary spending to boost air visitor arrivals."

Mr. Swan added: "The bottom line is that the industry is in very poor shape to weather an economic downturn.

"Our high season has shrunk to four months and the number of hotel beds is at a historic low, on-island entertainment is almost non-existent and the Premier's fixation on cruise ships is setting up the ships themselves to offer more to visitors than the island itself.

"What matters now is what we can do to save the tourism season and position ourselves to grab hold of an upturn when it comes."