Tourism Minister David Allen is aiming to tap into the lucrative African-American market with an African Diaspora Heritage Trail.

African Americans represent 12 percent of the American population, he said as he launched the African Diaspora initiative, but accounted for just three percent of Bermuda's visitors.

Mr. Allen said his department had invested nearly “seven figures” into the African Diaspora Heritage Trail initiative to gain the maximum response from not just African American visitors, but visitors of all races.

However, Mr. Allen said he believed that the three percent a year would grow ‘significantly' with the implementation of the project - boosting a flagging tourism industry.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, he said: “Our Government is going to nurture this market, because for too long now we have treated America as a Eurocentric country. We'd be foolish to ignore this market and if we can notch up about one percent a year on this market, we'd be happy.”

As a result, he announced that the first Annual African Diaspora Heritage Trail Conference will be held from May 25 to May 28, to establish a cross border tourism initiative with Africa, the US and the Caribbean. Mr. Allen said the event will involve several ministers of tourism from the Caribbean, international media and travel writers.

The conference will take place at the Fairmont Southampton Princess and carries the theme of “Tourism Unites Nations through Peace Culture and Heritage”.

Mr. Allen said: “The three-day programme will attract a distinguished variety of international speakers. The programme will also touch on the development of long term tourism industry partnerships through promotion and financing of a Transatlantic Diaspora Heritage trail.

“A number of significant social and cultural events with African Diaspora Heritage Trail themes will be held during the conference, from venues ranging from St. George's to the Royal Naval Dockyard.”

The Tourism Department has been developing the African Diaspora Heritage Trail for several months, said Mr. Allen. It is understood that the concept of the Trail involves several countries with ties to Africa. Visitors exploring the Bermuda portion will be exposed to historic sites linked with the development of, and progress of people of African descent in Bermuda. The Trail also gives the option to continue to other countries in the Caribbean and Africa who are participating in the venture.

According to Mr. Allen, the purpose is to identify, conserve, promote, educate and expose visitors to a new and unique vacation experience.

He noted that research has shown that more and more discerning visitors are looking for “enriching travel experiences”.

Mr. Allen explained that a promotional drive is being made by the largest African American travel firm, Henderson Associates, to coordinate sales and distribution of tours of the Bermuda Trail.

He said they will be targeting Canada and US cities such as Washington D.C., New York and Atlanta.

“The African Diaspora Heritage Trail was designed to be a cross-border tourism initiative linking Bermuda with the Caribbean, Africa and the United States and their historic sites relating to the African Diaspora of the past 500 years.

“The Heritage Trail conference promises to be a significant event in the development of Heritage Tourism in Bermuda, something Government has pledged itself to accomplish in its 1998 platform.”