Bermuda is well placed to pick up business from the United States in the wake of September 11, the Island's New York marketing agent said yesterday.

Lou Hammond, of Lou Hammond and Associates, told the second Bermuda National Tourism Conference that Americans were looking for security and holidays closer to home.

And Bermuda may gain some American conference business which was booked for exotic countries further away from the US and cancelled.

She said $1 billion of US conference business was scrapped but 80 percent was rebooked or is in the process of being rebooked.

Bermuda was in a good position to capitalise on this because business people were the least likely to be deterred from travel and were the least concerned about price.

Another potential market was for newlyweds who had cancelled honeymoons in Asia.

Ms Hammond said the Island should have a crisis communication plan in case a similar atrocity to September 11 reoccurs.

The most important thing to do was always to be honest and answer questions fully because a crisis cannot be covered up In another crisis, Bermuda should have statements prepared immediately and be prepared to appoint a spokesman.

The bottom line was that the Island is in a good position to pick up American travellers because of its position and close proximity, she said.

With the recently-launched Compliments of Bermuda discount package, the Island was also offering good value now.

Ms Hammond said she was upbeat, and believed that if the Island continued to pull together and offer good value, the tourist business will be saved.