The Department of Tourism’s new UK public relations company has vowed to come up with innovative ways to encourage Brits to fall in love with Bermuda.Publicasity has been selected to carry out a massive marketing blitz in a bid to lure more tourists to Bermuda from the UK. The company, which is based in the heart of London, has already selected a ‘Bermuda Team’ of staff to draw up its marketing campaign.Staff are said to be “very excited” about the one-year contract and are ready and raring to “reawaken Britain’s love affair with Bermuda”.The team will this week meet with Bermuda’s tourism officials in London to pave the way forward and “get ideas off the ground”. The company aims to showcase the Island “as never seen before” through print, broadcast and digital mediums. They want to make sure Bermuda is “read and talked about, watched, listened to and engaged with in all of the right places”.The aim is to boost arrival numbers and the length visitors stay by specifically targeting the ‘urbane’ over-35 traveller market.The company has a tough job on its hands as it has been widely reported that Bermuda’s tourism industry is struggling with many hotels closing or downsizing. Despite almost daily flights to and from Gatwick airport, marketing efforts are usually focused on the “key geographic markets” of the East Coast of North America. Rooster Inc previously represented Bermuda for four years and it is understood they bid for the contract again.From April to June this year there were just 6,371 visitors from the UK compared to 61,232 visitors from the US. But Publicasity believes Bermuda offers “an unparalleled island experience” because of its secluded location, pink beaches and quaint ports.The company’s press release states: “The aim of the campaign will be to create new compelling reasons to visit, encourage repeat holiday makers as well as entice new incremental visitation to the Island.“It is an Island with a thriving culture, rich history and an abundance of activities for all holiday makers.“The beauty of the destination is not just the scenery but its purity, with no neon lights, and limited cars allowed on the Island, it offers a serene escape to rejuvenate and relax.”Publicasity, which has its head office in Covent Garden, was told last week that it had beaten off competition from ten other PR companies.The company also handles the UK publicity for Orlando and South Africa. As Bermuda continues to consider whether to legalise gambling, the company also has Grosvenor Casinos as one of its clients.Publicasity also handles the publicity for big-name brands such as Bacardi, Heinz, McVitie’s, Jack Daniel’s, Wrigley and Kia Motors. Its logo is: “If you’ve got it, we’ll flaunt it.”Government put the contract out to public tender earlier this year and there was a highly competitive process, which included staff from several companies flying to the Island to put forward their pitch.Emma Wright, managing director of Publicasity, said: ““The role of Publicasity will be to assist in the decision, research and booking process with a comprehensive review process taking place through the line from the trade to the consumer.“Having pitched on Island the whole team fell in love with Bermuda too and can’t wait to sell this destination.”The long-awaited announcement came after Tourism Minister Patrice Minors told The Royal Gazette in mid-April that “it is our intention to make a decision on the appointment of the public relations agency by the end of May 2011”.Ms Minors said: “Bermuda is a best in class luxury destination and we are excited to be reminding the UK of all it has to offer.“We will be targeting international business, leisure and the group incentive markets.“We look forward to working with Publicasity to deliver a strong campaign, helping to drive positive awareness and reawaken Britain’s love affair with Bermuda.”The Ministry of Tourism officially announced it would be working with Publicasity yesterday, although the partnership was reported in UK publications last week.Useful website: www.publicasity.co.uk.