travel agents who descended upon Bermuda this week for a familiarisation trip.

Leading the group was the Department of Tourism's regional sales manager for Canada, Aguinaldo Medeiros, who said the agents were from the second biggest province in Canada -- in terms of visitor arrivals for the Island.

And he said the trip was to highlight the pluses of the Saturday direct Halifax to Bermuda flight, which began February 14, for the 14 top producing agents from Nova Scotia and its neighbouring maritime provinces.

"All our efforts are on continuing the momentum that has started with the weekly flight,'' said Mr. Medeiros. The group was due to arrive earlier in the week but was delayed until yesterday by a snowstorm. The agents are accompanied by representatives from Air Canada and major tour operator Americanada.

Toronto and its surrounding area account for the majority of Bermuda's 40,000 Canadian visitors with Nova Scotia and its neighbouring provinces -- New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island -- in second place with some ten percent of the total.

More than half of these visitors travel to the Island between November and March, a trait Mr. Medeiros said he wished the US market could develop.

AND OVER THERE IS -- The Department of Tourism's regional sales manager for Canada, Aguinaldo Medeiros, points out one of the sights at the Sonesta Beach Hotel to the troupe of Canadian travel agents he is leading around the Island on a familiarisation trip.

TRAVEL AGENTS TVL