The Department of Tourism will use popular radio personalities and billboards in East Coast cities to promote the Island as a tourist destination this summer.

And Department officials said a policy of emphasising Bermuda’s proximity to the US has helped improve the number of rooms sold.

Director of Tourism for Bermuda, William Griffith, said yesterday: “The proximity message is key to our strategy in driving visitation to Bermuda this summer. We’re optimistic heading into June as most of our hotels are reporting near sell-out through the end of July.

“New flight service, including the recent launch of WestJet’s non-stop flights from Toronto, will help boost tourism to Bermuda from the Canadian market, while the seasonal USA3000 non-stop flights from Baltimore will help our visitation from the Baltimore and mid-Atlantic region.”

The Royal Gazette understands that some of the bigger hotels have yet to reach 75 percent occupancy levels for the end of July, however many have reported they have only a few rooms left during the Newport to Bermuda Race weekend in June.

This year the number of hotel rooms available at Bermuda Hotel Association properties have dropped by 11 percent due to the closure of rooms at three properties in 2009. There are currently 2,251 hotel rooms available at BHA properties.

Mr. Griffith said this summer’s marketing strategy was focused on increasing awareness that Bermuda is less than two hours away from many US cities in the East Coast.

The Department has paid for “eye-catching billboards across high volume locations” throughout Boston, New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia, including one at Fenway Park. These billboards will stay put until the end of October 2010.

The Department has also purchased bus kings, wallpaper-like ads that run half the length of the vehicle, on 75 commuter and intercity buses in Manhattan, New York.

And starting on June 7 CBS radio hosts in New York City, Philadelphia and Washington D.C., will promote Bermuda through on-air promotions, interviews with Bermudians and talking about the trips they will make to the Island.

The hosts include Boomer Esiason, from WFAN Sports Radio, who holds several National Football League career records for left-handed quarterbacks, including most touchdown passes with 247. He also won the NFL Most Valuable Player Award in 1988.

In New York Dan Taylor from WCBS-FM will be promoting Bermuda. He has been a popular DJ on the oldies station for three decades.

Cadillac Jack from 98.1 WOGL and 1210 am’s “Big Talker” Dom Giordano in Philadelphia will join DC-based radio talents Gregg Daniels representing 94.7 Fresh FM and Brian Mitchell from 106.7 The Fan to report on their Bermudian adventures for regional listeners.

A spokesman added that the Department was also focusing on Toronto. He said: “In Toronto, both traditional and digital media has been purchased to promote the new WestJet service to Bermuda.

“Traditional media includes billboards, posters and transit shelters in areas with high visibility. The digital component features video boards, Elevator News Networks and subway screens, highlighting affordable airfares and the proximity message in both English and French-Canadian.”