lure loving couples to its shores.

The Department of Tourism is launching a joint attack on the lucrative US wedding market with Island hotels, in a bid to boost flagging numbers of honeymoon couples.

But whilst numbers of newlyweds choosing the Island for their honeymoon has been on the decline, overseas guests opting for a paradise wedding are on the increase.

In the past, Bermuda was traditionally a romance hot spot -- along with Hawaii -- from America, but it has slipped in the face of fierce competition and possibly because of its image. The Tourism Department's assistant director of marketing Cherie Whitter said: "Our wedding business is growing, however with honeymoons we are not capturing a larger share of the market.

"Historically, Bermuda was known as the honeymoon capital but this has declined over the years.'' Last year, 613 non-resident weddings were performed here, compared with 500 the previous year. And around 20,000 honeymooners headed to the Island.

A blitz on several fronts will aim to attract even more couples for a post-marriage vacation.

Websites, glossy advertising, bridal guides, in-store displays and appearances at popular wedding shows will provide the ammunition.

"We need to become more visible,'' said Mrs. Whitter. "One way of reaching these people is the shows.'' Hotels like the all-inclusive Harmony Club aggressively go after the market and general manager Billy Griffith said he believed more properties needed to follow suit.

"There is competition, but I think the way you go after the honeymooners is the key,'' he said. "A lot of the wedding shows are consumer-based and Bermuda has tended to stay away from these.

"They get you closer to the source. I find at these shows you know people are ready to buy.

"Bermuda could adopt a very aggressive strategy and say `let's get the honeymoon business and let's re-establish Bermuda as number one', and everything that gets us there is what we need to do.'' In addition to the direct contact with the market, Mr. Griffith said he believed there was a need to address the image portrayed by Bermuda.

"We have a reputation as being for older people, of being quiet. We need to change that perception,'' he said.

Subtle changes to advertising, including attention to the people pictured in advertisements could address the impression, he added.

Mrs. Whitter said the fact that many of the couples' parents had honeymooned in Bermuda meant they were less likely to consider the Island for their own holiday.

And the success of other regions, such as the Caribbean who had specifically targetted honeymooners, had eaten away at business.

"These resorts have really targetted them, places like Sandals really go out of their way,'' she said.

Bermuda will be also at the front of the news-stands when a specially-produced wedding guide hits the streets.

The Wedding and Honeymoon Guide is published annually and this year it has been produced in conjunction with Brides magazine, a US publication with more than 400,000 circulation.

It will be released in February/March, and the supplement itself will form the guide distributed by the Bermuda Department of Tourism.

In addition, a "Bermuda for Two'' guide trumpets the best of Bermuda for people seeking a romantic getaway, with secluded beaches, dining, great walks and other factors to make a perfect break.