The Bermuda Tourism Authority’s recent partnership aims to expand group travel and year-round visitation to the island.

The BTA has announced London-based firm Black Diamond as its agency of record for trade and group travel across the UK.

It said the partnership is “supporting Bermuda’s focus on growing high-value leisure, group and business events travel from this key market”.

Black Diamond includes a Bermudian team member and recently supported the Bermuda UK mission in London and Manchester.

A statement added that the agency “will lead a targeted programme of trade and group engagement, including education, planner outreach, events and collaboration with airline and industry partners”.

It explained that the appointment supports Bermuda’s National Tourism Plan by “strengthening market engagement, expanding group travel across meetings, sports and maritime sectors and driving more balanced, year-round visitation”.

Jim Odoire, Black Diamond managing director, said: “The UK is a market brimming with potential for Bermuda and this appointment signals a bold new chapter in how we engage UK travellers, the travel trade and the [Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions] sector.

“Together with our airline, trade and MICE partners, we’ll be rolling out focused initiatives designed to put Bermuda firmly on the map and inspire more visitors to experience everything this extraordinary destination has to offer.”

This announcement came after the BTA announced Eric Kincaid as its new vice-president of sales and business development, Michael De Couto as chief sales and marketing officer and Kiara Isaac as director of people and culture.