More than 100 travel industry experts with the power to book a staggering two million bed nights a year have voted Bermuda a hit.

And strong interest in sending groups to the Island have already been expressed by travel professionals after the third annual Marriott Meeting and Incentive Management Conference, held for the first time at Marriott's Castle Harbour Resort.

Castle Harbour director of sales and marketing Gary Grove said: "It's an exceedingly important event.

"This is one of the few times that this group of people has really been together in Bermuda.'' Hotel general manager Mark Conklin added: "It's gone extremely well -- and we've had beautiful weather and that has helped us showcase not only Marriott Castle Harbour, but the whole Island.'' Castle Harbour was selected to host the hotel chain's incentive travel conference, which ended yesterday, from among the chain's 220 worldwide locations, operating more than 1,000 hotels under eight brand names.

Mr. Conklin said: "We are honoured to be chosen this year to represent the Marriott Corporation in such an important event.

"Bermuda is ranked in industry surveys as one of the most popular incentive travel destinations in the world and we are very excited to have the meeting and incentive industry at our resort.'' Mr. Grove said that it was hoped there would be a spin-off from the meeting in terms of new business for the hotel and Bermuda as a whole.

"Many of these customers have not been to the Island for a number of years and it's important to create a real partnership,'' he said. "There are a number of groups which go to wherever the annual conference is held and we can't stress enough the importance of them seeing Bermuda.'' The special Marriott conferences began after the group began to focus on the incentive and group market in 1990, creating a special sales force to drum up business in that area.

The resort has already won a host of awards for hosting meetings, including Successful Meetings' Pinnacle Award, Meetings and Conventions' Gold Key Award and Corporate Meetings and Incentives' Golden Links and Paragon Awards.

The 100-strong group, mostly from the US, but with some UK representatives, were treated to a host of activities, both within and outside Castle Harbour.

They enjoyed a golf tournament, glass-bottomed boat trip, pirate theme party on Hawkins Island and the event was rounded off with a glittering gala ball in the hotel ballroom.

And hotel chiefs said that as a direct result of the marketing process, they have been given two firm leads and two more delegates asked for a full tour of the luxury resort.