Organisers of the Monitor initiative are looking for Bermuda's best and brightest.

Advertisments in The Royal Gazette -- seeking students to work this summer with the Monitor Company of Cambridge, Massachusetts -- are the first phase of a review of Bermuda's tourism industry, Bank of Bermuda senior vice president Cummings Zuill said.

"It's a prestigious opportunity for persons with university-level education to gain real experience,'' he said. "It's a very high-profile summer job, and we're looking for candidates with a background in an MBA programme, commerce, or the tourism industry.'' For the past few months, the Bank of Bermuda has been acting as a catalyst between the private sector and Government in an effort to bring Monitor's expertise to bear on the Island's flagging tourism sector. Government, in its latest budget, has pledged $500,000 to the cause.

Mr. Zuill said a local company -- Competitive Action Group (CAG) -- has recently been formed to liaise with Monitor and to centralise local resources.

The interns he added, will be employed by CAG but will work closely with Monitor consultants.

Central to the strategy will be data collected by the summer interns. About three positions are being offered to qualified Bermudian students who intend on returning to the Island for the summer. Full-time work is expected to run throughout the summer.

Applicants should have an interest and experience in market analysis and trends, and show some knowledge of the local tourism scene, global competitors, travel distribution networks, and market segmentation, said Mr.

Zuill.

They will research changing consumer trends and expectations, technologies, and tourism strategies at home and abroad.

Interns, who will work independently and in teams, will also be asked to commit to about 50 hours per week during the summer and should be proficient on computers and spreadsheet applications, have an aptitude for math, quantitative and qualitative analysis, as well as superior communication and written skills.

The information collected will then set the groundwork for a long-term strategy, he added. Closing date for applications is April 11 and salaries have yet to be determined.

"They're not going to get rich,'' said Mr. Zuill, "but they're going to get great experience and something worthwhile to put on a resume.'' Applicants are asked to forward written resumes, together with relevant educational transcripts and degree documentation to: CAG Ltd., Reference the Monitor Project, P.O. Box 1022, Hamilton, HM DX.

TOURISM TOU GOVERNMENT GVT