Fairmont boss Norm Mastalir says he is not put off by the results of a survey showing more than half the Island's visitors would find a new casino a turn-off.

Mr. Mastalir — whose lobbying was partly behind the launch of a feasibility study into allowing gambling in Bermuda — said he remains convinced that non-gambling vacationers would be unaffected by gaming provided it's handled in the right way.

A Department of Tourism exit survey had shown more than half of visitors would consider Bermuda less appealing as a vacation destination if it had a casino.

Mr. Mastalir said he had not seen the survey results, which came from 721 visitors from July to September, a sample size described as small.

The managing director of Fairmont Hotels and Resorts Bermuda told The Royal Gazette: "It would not be appropriate to consider only the comments of summer vacation guests who are primarily families without looking at similar results for the entire year, which would include all of the group guests who visit our Island in the second and fourth quarters.

"According to a 2008 study by Ypartnership National Leisure Travel Monitor, 20 percent of US leisure travellers are interested in gambling while on vacation. If gaming is handled in a professional and discrete manner there should be no reason why those who do not want to participate should be affected one way or another."