Tourism Minister David Allen has urged Bermudians to come along to the African Diaspora Heritage Trail conference, which kicks off this weekend.

More than 100 delegates and speakers are booked for the four day event at the Fairmont Southampton Princess. Mr. Allen said he was happy with the numbers and quality of overseas delegates, but said there was room for local visitors at the presentations and workshops.

Guests include the secretary general of the World Tourism Organisation, the secretary general of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation, the executive director of the New York-based Africa Travel Association, the Tourism Minister of Nigeria, and ambassador of Senegal.

Another key guest speaker is head of the Anglican Church in Southern Africa and Bishop of Cape Town, the Most Revd Njongonkulu Ndungane.

Mr. Allen said yesterday: "People can register up there at the hotel and while there is not an unlimited space, there are lots of fascinating things that locals will be interested in.

"My original projection was that if we got 80 people coming in from overseas I would consider that a success because it was a new concept. We've got over 100 and local people attending so I am quite happy with that. But it is more the quality of the delegates."

Today, the first of the plaques on the heritage trail will be unveiled at the Cobb's Hill Methodist Church in Warwick, built by slaves by moonlight. Further plaques will be unveiled on Sunday by Premier Jennifer Smith in St. George's at Tucker House, the Bermudian Heritage Museum, and at the slave graveyard at St. Peter's Church.

The opening address to the conference on Sunday morning is from Professor Percy Hintzen of the University of California, Berkeley.

The first day's workshops will be on "Black holocaust - understanding the African Diaspora" and "Using tourism as a means of developing peace through the countries of the African Diaspora".

Topics on Monday include "Understanding the heritage of the African Diaspora countries"; "The importance of the African Diaspora history in cultural tourism" and "Promotion of the African Diaspora: Historical and contemporary issues".