Awareness Week which begins this weekend has been promised by the Island's Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association.

Nature walks in the West End, a tour of the Stonington Beach Hotel and a scavenger hunt for visitors are included in this year's promotion.

Businessmen Mr. John Casling and Mr. Yeaton Outerbridge, along with cartoonist Mr. Peter Woolcock donated funds and talent to Tourism Awareness Week by creating "We're Glad You're Here'' Bermuda onion buttons.

Seven thousand of the bright pink and green buttons will be distributed to members of the hospitality and tourism industry to "visually display their appreciation of our valued visitors''.

An awards ceremony honouring the winners of a children's essay contest will begin at noon in Trimingham's Hamilton store today.

Over 900 primary and secondary students wrote compositions on what they could do to make visitors feel welcome in Bermuda. All winning entries will be displayed in the store throughout next week.

Tomorrow the West End Development Corporation will sponsor a nature walk which begins at the Dockyard Clocktower fountain at 11.30 a.m. Participants will view the newly landscaped beaches, nature trails, bird sanctuary and the flora and fauna of the West End. Refreshments will be served at the tour's half-way point.

Visitors to the Island will be able to take part in a scavenger hunt, which will take them to some of Bermuda's most famous landmarks. Each participant will receive a bag of Bermuda-made products from a hospitality booth outside the White Horse Tavern in St. George's on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The grand prize for the hunt is a three-night stay at the Elbow Beach Hotel.

A public forum entitled "Is our beauty only skin deep?: Does Bermuda live up to its image?'' will take place at the Hamilton Princess Hotel from 5.30 to 7.30 p.m. on Tuesday evening.

Moderator Mr. George Rushe will lead what should be an interesting and possibly controversial discussion. Guest speakers include Dr. Grant Gibbons, Mr. David Allen, Mr. Horst Finkbeiner, Mr. Dennis Tucker and Mr. Peter Smith.

Bartenders from East End pubs and restaurants will battle it out in St.

George's on Tuesday and Wednesday in a Bermuda cocktail contest. A panel of judges made up of visitors will decide who can whip up the best concoction.

The Biological Station will be opening its doors to the public on Wednesday morning at 10.00 for a tour of the Ferry Reach facility. St. Peter's Church will be selling lunches at nominal cost in their school house at 12.00 that afternoon, during historical re-enactments in the old town.

A tour of the Stonington Beach Hotel will begin at 1.30 p.m. the same day, giving Bermudians a chance to see the newly expanded campus.

Chef Fred Ming will be cooking up some local cuisine for the tour group in a "Taste of Bermuda'' demonstration.

Next Friday morning, a walking tour of the City of Hamilton will leave the Visitors' Service Bureau at 9.45. Participants will visit such sights as the House of Assembly, the Bermuda Library and City Hall.

The grand finale of Tourism Awareness Week will be the Hotelier of the Year Award presentation and Gala Dinner Dance at Marriott's Castle Harbour Resort on Saturday night. Tickets for the event are $65, and can be purchased through the Bermuda Hotel Association at 295-2127.

One of the week's more unusual events, which was to have taken place on Sunday, has been postponed because its chief organiser recently took ill.

The Hotelympics is a team event which will pit staff members from Elbow Beach, Sonesta, Cambridge Beaches and the Hamilton Princess against each other in an off-the-wall athletic contest. Organisers now hope to stage the battle in November.

BUTTON UP -- Tourism Awareness Week chairwoman Ms Barbara O'Shaughnessy shows Mr. Yeaton Outerbridge (left) and Tourism Minister the Hon. C.V. (Jim) Woolridge the campaign's specially-produced "We're glad you're here'' buttons.