Munaluchi Bride Magazine, the number one multicultural wedding publication in the United States, is bringing its annual retreat to the island in what is described as a “profile-raising opportunity for Bermuda”.

The Coterie Retreat is a three-day conference, launched in 2014 by the founders of the magazine. The event next month will feature more than 100 wedding and event professionals. It is being hosted at the Hamilton Princess Hotel & Beach Club.

“People are excited. They’re ready to pack their bags and get here,” said Munaluchi Bride Magazine sales and marketing director Nicole McKenzie. “I can tell you the buzz is extremely high. We ended our retreat in South Africa and everyone was trying to figure out where we would be going next. How will we top South Africa? We made the announcement we were coming to Bermuda and we have received positive responses from day one.”

Victoria Isley, Bermuda Tourism Authority chief sales and marketing officer, believes the BTA has a dedicated strategy for growing the destination weddings space and attracting groups like the Coterie Retreat.

She said: “The Munaluchi community is influential so the quality of its Coterie Retreat in Bermuda will be critical towards attracting future wedding and honeymoon business. Alongside our local tourism partners, we will be working hard to show off all that Bermuda has to offer in the area of romance travel.”

Jacqueline Nwobu, chief executive officer and editor-in-chief of Munaluchi Bride Magazine, said: “The purpose of the conference is not only to educate, but to expose Bermuda to the destination wedding industry. We really want our planners to connect with the locals here in Bermuda. We want to be able to put Bermuda on the map in terms of romance travel.”

The mission of the conference is to raise awareness for the fast-growing multicultural wedding and event industry in Bermuda, and to bring multicultural weddings to the forefront.

•For more information visit http://www. coterieretreat.com