month for a whirlwind tour of the Island.

The party will include tour operators, travel agents, incentive travel organisers and media. It will arrive on March 12 and depart two days later.

"The trip will give participants a taste of what Bermuda has to offer,'' said Bermuda Tourism public relations spokeswoman Liz Blakeborough.

The trip ties in with British Airways' introduction of the Boeing 777 to the London Gatwick to Bermuda route. A fourth weekly service will commence in April which will increase the weekly capacity on the route by 60 percent over last year.

Bermuda Tourism's European director Pippa Grive said the move will help her office push the Island as a short break destination from the UK and Europe and the addition of the fourth flight plus the increase in capacity on the route will help capitalise on the interest that has been generated.

Cresta, Crystal Holidays, Main Street USA and Prestige Holidays are featuring the Island as a short break in their brochures.

Bermuda's UK air arrivals in November and December were up a whopping 20 percent on 1996 figures and these arrivals increased six percent overall for the year.

"Tour operators are currently reporting an increase in Bermuda bookings of 20 percent and we are confident of a further increase in visitor figures this year,'' said Ms Grive.

CONFERENCE CON