Senator Michael Dunkley called for Government to publicly release its plan to improve tourism on the Island.Speaking before Senate during motion to adjourn, Sen Dunkley said that despite a series of public failures in the tourism sector, Government has not yet announced a solid plan to help improve the industry.“Day in and day out, there seems to be very concerning stories in the press and there’s very little coming back from Government,” he said.“While many other jurisdictions show that the tourism industry is on the rebound, we are still facing a difficult winter and a spring that is not as strong is the past. I call on Government to show their plan as to how they can help tourism turn around. It doesn’t all lie in the lap of Government, I know that, but we can help.”Mr Dunkley said he felt the Island had ‘fallen off the map’ due to heavy advertising from other tourism destinations.While he said he meant his comments to be a suggestion as to how to improve rather than a criticism, Government Senator LaVerne Furbert responded: “I don’t see what else we can see it as.”She said Government had done a great deal for the tourism sector, including working to improve investment in the sector from international developers, but she said that every tourism development was being met with opposition, noting comments in yesterday’s The Royal Gazette from conservationist Dr David Wingate, who called for an SDO at Tuckers Point to be scaled back.Government Senator Kim Wilson however responded that Government could make announcements soon regarding new advertising initiatives.“I can state the Minister of Tourism Patrice Minors is actively perfecting a marketing strategy, and I think, from what I understand there will be some announcements made soon.”She also said hotels should also be responsible in part for advertising their own product, saying: “It takes effort from both sides.”Government Senate Leader David Burch agreed, saying that hoteliers need to ‘step up to the plate’ for their own businesses, adding: “If you can’t, you can’t stay in business. That’s the bottom line.”Independent Senator Walwyn Hughes said that an increasing number of beds will not help the Island’s tourism industry if they are not filled.“We keep falling back on improving the product, but we have good accommodations. Why aren’t we attracting tourists to what we have now?“I don’t understand this drive to have new product when we have new product that is by no means overbooked.”He also stressed it is important not to simply dismiss the environment in favour of developments, saying that if environmental issues are continually pushed back we could find ourselves living in a concrete jungle.Useful Websites: www.gov.bm, www.plp.bm, www.ubp.bm.