The second annual Bermuda Marketplace will kick off on March 2 in London with a record 29 local tourism suppliers in attendance.

Invitations have also been sent out to more than 200 people in the travel industry including group and incentive agents, tour operators and Bermuda Specialists -- the UK's 125 top producing agents for the Island.

The tourism trade show will feature representatives from 17 visitor accommodations, four destination management companies, two airlines and six specialist markets including golf, water sports, rugby and retail.

It enables existing and potential UK tour operators to meet the local suppliers face to face.

Bermuda's director of tourism in UK and Europe, Pippa Grive, told The Royal Gazette : "The industry is very upbeat about the Island for the first time in years with tour operators reporting bookings for 1998 up by 20 percent.

"I think this is reflected in how we ended the year with air arrivals up 19 percent in November and December and an overall 5.8 percent increase in a year when we were coping with a 25 percent cut in capacity in flight seats. It bodes well for 1998!'' Hotels to be represented at the show are Ariel Sands Beach Club, Belmont Hotel and Golf Club, Cambridge Beaches, Elbow Beach Hotel, Grotto Bay Beach Hotel, Harmony Club, Horizons and Cottages, Lantana, Marriott's Castle Harbour Resort, Newstead, Pompano Beach Club, Sonesta Beach Hotel and Spa, Southampton Princess Hotel, Stonington Beach Hotel, The Princess, The Reefs, and Waterloo House.

Also present will be representatives from Bermuda European Services, Bermuda Meetings and Incentives, Destination Bermuda Limited, Select Sites, British Airways and American Airlines.

And representatives from cycle rental firms, golf courses, diving and water sport operators, merchandising firms, heritage venues and the World Rugby Classic will attend.

Last year's Bermuda Marketplace, the first dedicated travel and trade event of its kind to be held in the UK, featured over 20 Island hoteliers and tourism-related suppliers.

It was heralded a success by Tourism Minister David Dodwell although its efforts were crippled when a planned fourth weekly flight by British Airways was shot down by a shortage of aircraft.

This year, British Airways has put its most modern aircraft on the London Gatwick to Bermuda route. The Boeing 777 will also start flying to the Island four times weekly on March 29 when its summer schedule begins.

Pippa Grive