HOTELS have initiated a hurricane guarantee programme, promising visitors to the island a catalogue of freebies if their stay is affected by a storm.

The new scheme comes on the heels of analysts' predictions of a busy season.

With such storms frequently tracked in the media by their proximity to Bermuda, hoteliers believe even the threat of a hurricane impacts their bottom line.

Analysts this year predicted the Caribbean and the United States will be affected by nine hurricanes ? and at least three are expected to pose a considerable threat.

Created by the Bermuda Hotel Association (BHA), the Hurricane Guarantee programme involves 16 hotels on the island and will run through the end of September when the storm season officially ends.

The concept was lauded as an important step by Tourism and Transport Minister Ewart Brown.

"I applaud the Bermuda Hotel Association and its participating members for taking the necessary steps to provide peace of mind for our visitors," he said.

"This is a very important step moving forward as we understand that even the threat of a hurricane interrupting the vacation that folks have worked so hard to earn can lead to a great deal of anxiety. We think this comprehensive programme will offer some peace of mind and let them concentrate on enjoying all that we have to offer."

Participating properties include Cambridge Beaches, Coral Beach & Tennis Club, Elbow Beach, the Fairmont Hamilton Princess, the Fairmont Southampton Princess, Fourways Inn, Granaway Guest House & Cottages, Grape Bay Hotel, Grotto Bay Beach Resort, the Harmony Club, Horizons & Cottages, The St. George's Club, Rosedon, Surfside Beach Club, Waterloo House and Wyndham Bermuda.

According to the Department of Tourism, the hope is that the guarantee will "provide guests with complete confidence that they will be able to enjoy a 'Bermudaful' vacation".

With that aim, hoteliers have agreed that:

In the event that a hurricane-force storm is predicted by the Bermuda Weather Service to approach within 200 miles of Bermuda and within five days, guests will be permitted to cancel their reservations without penalty. Deposits can be refunded or applied to any future booking if the guest is unable to recover the same under travel insurance. Group booking cancellations will be handled on an individual basis in accordance with the group contract.

l In the event that the island is directly affected by a hurricane during the guests' stay in Bermuda, the participating hotel will not charge for rooms, food and beverage or other essential services for any period of time that the participating hotel's normal services are not available.

In the event that a participating hotel is not able to continue its operations due to damage incurred by a hurricane, the participating hotel will invite guests to return for a complimentary stay within one year from the reopening of the participating hotel.

The replacement stay must be taken within one year from the reopening of the participating hotel and will be in an equivalent room category to the one originally booked, and will be subject to certain blackout dates and availability. Other expenses, such as airfare and food and beverages, are not included in the offer.

Tourism officials suggested that hoteliers implement such a scheme last year after former Tourism Board chairman Delaey Robinson lamented the loss of business because airlines cancelled flights at the mere possibility of a hurricane.

"A few years ago the Department set up round-table meetings with weather persons and/or their producers to explain in person the impact that these 'vicinity' reports have on the destination, and presented quantifiable statistical data on the frequency of Bermuda weather report mentions vis-a-vis actually being hit with hurricanes," Tourism Director Cherie Whitter is quoted as telling .

"We wanted them to be aware of the negative impact that these reports have on the island's economy and how many businesses and lives were impacted by these reports.

"A tactic that has been used by other islands to help combat hurricane concerns is one in which hoteliers offer a form of 'hurricane guarantee'. The idea behind this is that people would be more likely to book a destination with the potential to be hit by a hurricane if they knew that they could get 100 per cent of their money back if necessary. We strongly recommend that Bermuda's hotels consider adapting such a policy across the board."

A Colorado State University team headed by renowned analyst William M. Gray forecast nine hurricanes this year, five of which are expected to be major. The team also predicted 17 named storms and warned that lesser tropical storms and depressions would affect the Caribbean and the United States.

The US-based weather forecaster AccuWeather has predicted three major hurricanes, saying that warmer Atlantic surface temperatures created a greater likelihood of storms travelling up the Eastern Seaboard.