ever with a number of new events.

The Visitor Industry Partnership (VIP), which is organising the programme, has scheduled the first visitor clean-up day and an inaugural hospitality/visitor fun day at Cross Bay at the Sonesta Beach.

Bermuda Hotel Association (BHA) is joining forces with them to give extra support to the event from April 21-28.

BHA chairman Billy Griffith said yesterday: "It is our intention to make this the biggest Tourism Appreciation Week ever.

"We want to give the employees something to start off with, with this big beach party.

"We want to demonstrate and promote the positives in tourism and the hotel industry and to lead by example.

"All of us in the industry have to get involved to get the population interested in this and we want to thank those employees who have stuck with the industry over the years.'' The clean-up will take place on three locations along the Railway Trail on April 21.

Mr. Griffith said he was hoping to persuade Premier Jennifer Smith and as many MPs as possible to join the five kilometre walk/run starting from the Sonesta Beach Hotel on April 2.

And he hopes as many sectors of the industry, such as big hotels, the Department of Tourism and Bermuda Industrial Union will enter teams to take part.

Events include a bartenders' contest, hotel olympics, an industry boat building contest, tug of war and kids games.

A key event will take place on April 25 when organisers try to get as many school students as possible to take tours of hotels to generate interest in the industry.

BHA will hold its annual golf tournament at the Southampton Princess on April 24 or 25 and its Hotelier of the Year banquet on April 27.