Tourism Minister David Allen has been holding court with members of the Press and travel trade publication representatives at a tourism conference in Mexico.

The Department of Tourism said this week that Mr. Allen met with editors of Caribbean Travel & Life, who are planning a feature on eco-tourism in Bermuda, while at the Caribbean Hotel Industry Conference (CHIC) in Cancun.

This was the latest in a series of press interviews with travel trade publications and meetings with representatives from the tourism industry.

Mr. Allen said: "There have been some extremely beneficial meetings with our industry partners, especially some of the airline representatives, some of whom have expressed an interest in beginning services to Bermuda.'' On Wednesday Mr. Allen was a panelist in a Caribbean Travel Industry Crossfire, where he debated such important issues as public rivate sector co-operation and the growth of cruise tourism, growing taxation on land-based tourism and other topics.

Before the end of the sessions, Mr. Allen will sit with the Secretary-General of the Caribbean Tourism Association, Jean Holder, to discuss Bermuda's pending membership in that organisation.

Also attending the meetings from Bermuda are Muriel Richardson, President of the Bermuda Hotel Association (BHA), and the BHA's Executive Director John Harvey.

The conference has attracted delegates from the United States, Canada, and Europe.

TOURISM TOU