Bermuda tourism could see a substantial boost in business from Germany, The Royal Gazette has learned.

For the German equivalent of the `Love Boat' television show is currently in Bermuda filming a segment.

Produced by ZDF, the German equivalent of Britain's BBC, `Dreamboat' airs only two episodes a year, on December 26 and January 1.

Tourism Minister David Allen has said that Germany is Europe's largest travel market and is the Island's most important European market after the United Kingdom and northern Italy.

He also told MPs in March that European travellers are vital because although they account for ten percent of air arrivals, they constitute 17 percent of bed nights.

And `Dreamboat', by all accounts, could provide a boost to visitor arrivals from Germany in Bermuda.

Christian Stocklov, executive producer of `Dreamboat' -- or `Draumschift' in German -- told the Royal Gazette that one of the side effects of the show was significant rises in tourism in the host countries.

In St. Lucia, for example, tourism rose ten percent after the show was filmed there several years ago.

However the boon to Bermuda may not be as big as hoped due to a lack of flights, warned the producer.

Mr. Stocklov pointed out that the only flights to Bermuda from Europe are the five flights a week out of London.

"It's pretty awkward getting flights,'' he said.

And there has been a lack of assistance from the Department of Tourism, he added, although `Dreamboat,' will basically be a "90-minute commercial on Bermuda'' -- airing in central Europe.

Gombeys, the Somerset Brigade, motorcycles and moon gates are amongst the Bermudian features appearing in the episode.

The show can afford to air only twice a year as it draws a major audience of 12 million people.

More than 10.5 million viewers live in Germany alone, while German-speaking Swiss and Austrian viewers make up the remaining 1.5 million.

Though the show is aired on a public station and faces stiff competition from other private television stations, The Royal Gazette learned that `Dreamboat' is consistently amongst the top three rated television programmes in Germany.

Mr. Stocklov informed The Royal Gazette that each episode is made up of three stories.

These often revolve around love, adventure or crime stories.

There is no sex or violence in the shows, Mr. Stocklov said, as they are prime time family shows, airing at 8.15 p.m. on the holiday evenings right after the news.

Each episode lasts about 90 minutes, so they are actually more like television movies.

And the focal point of each episode is the country that the popular German and Austrian actors visit, Mr. Stocklov added.

The weather is miserable in Germany around Boxing Day and New Years, he explained, and the show brings to German viewers a glimpse of beautiful scenery, turquoise waters and sunny skies -- a ray of light in the depths of a German winter.

"They are stories that always have a happy ending,'' he said.

The Bermudian public is advised by the Government that up to four red flares may be fired from a boat in Mangrove Bay, Somerset, tomorrow afternoon, in connection with the filming project.

Harbour Radio will be issuing safety broadcasts both at the commencement and the conclusion of the flare use and the public are still urged to report any other flare activity in the usual manner through the marine distress channels.

Mr. Stocklov concluded that despite the difficulties facing this episode of `Dreamboat': "The Island will be shown in the best light ever!''