Wonderful! is how representatives from Germany and Italy are describing Bermuda this week as they toured the Island to experience and learn more about Bermuda?s unique tourism product.

Hosted by the Regional Manger for the United Kingdom/Europe Sales for the Bermuda Department of Tourism, Thomas MacDonald the two representatives from Italy and two from Germany visited various hotels and major attractions while hosted at Cambridge Beaches.

Michaela Jaudszims and Aileentlayes Hayes from Germany and Gianna Crestoni and Busin Loredana from Italy met with representatives from the Fairmont Hotel Group, the Chairman of the Bermuda Hotel Association, Mike Winfield, the Executive Director for the Bermuda Alliance for Tourism (BAT) Wayne Smith and various others including the Director of Tourism, Cherie Whitter at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute yesterday (Friday) before heading home.

In an interview earlier, Mr. MacDonald said it was Tourism Minister, Dr. Ewart Brown?s initiative to increase the number of tourists from the UK and Europe markets.

The first step involved the termination of the Department?s UK representation company, Hills Balfour earlier this year and the appointment of Mr. MacDonald who proceeded to open the two-man office in London with a young Bermudian, Nitra Dill. ?We decided to concentrate on Italy and Germany and secured the services of a company called Destinations in Milan, run by Ferdnando Parello, and we are looking at contracting representation for Germany,? he said.

In the meantime, the Department of Tourism is consulting with German tour operators who will be visiting Bermuda in November.

?We want the tour operators to see the product first hand and go back deciding to what degree they will support the Bermuda product.?

Mr. MacDonald said this was extremely important as the Department would be asking them to ?take a piece of the aircraft? the Department is looking at getting out of Europe and literally contracted, will take a certain number of seats and promote that.

However, he could not divulge which airline they were in negotiations with ? a service straight from Milan or Munich.

Currently visitors from Europe have to fly to Heathrow and travel from there to Gatwick in order to catch a flight to Bermuda. Mr. MacDonald said the idea of a direct flight to Bermuda in less than eight hours was very appealing.

?The awareness of Bermuda is not there in Europe so we?re starting from scratch,? he said.

One of the mistakes Bermuda has made in the past, he said, was comparing ourselves to the Caribbean while we should be comparing ourselves to Mauritius or Seychelles or even Europe ? but not the Caribbean.

?The minute you put Bermuda in the classification of the Caribbean, a pre-conception exists of what we offer, including relatively inexpensive hotels and 85 degree temperatures in January ? which is not the case,? he said. Mr. MacDonald felt Bermuda was much more geared to European Hotels and the group had showed great interest in the Island?s Cottage Colonies.

To further expand Bermuda?s appeal, the Island will be represented at the World Travel Market in London from November 10 - 13, but unlike previous years, will not be included among the Caribbean Islands.

This year the Bermuda?s exhibit will be placed somewhere between American and the Caribbean, a much better position according to Mr. MacDonald who is hoping to keep Bermuda separate from our neighbours down south.

The World Travel Market is the UK?s largest tourism and hospitality expo with more than 27,000 trade visitors and 2,500 press representatives from across the globe.

By attending World Travel Market, Bermuda will efficiently, effectively and productively gain an immediate competitive advantage for the Islands? business and stay abreast with the latest developments in the travel industry.