The winners of the Bermuda International Business Association's (BIBA) Tourism Appreciation Week essay competition received their prizes at City Hall yesterday.

Entrants in this year's essay competition were asked to answer "How would you improve the tourism industry on the Island?'' in the form of a letter to Tourism Minister David Allen.

Judges received 280 entries this year as opposed to less than 100 last year.

BIBA's Local Marketing Committee chairman Dueane Dill said: "The level of participation from both the public and private schools was encouraging. This clearly indicated that our young people are interested in the economic future of the country.'' Mr. Dill noted that international business could not be conducted in Bermuda without the support of the services provided by the hospitality sector, just as tourism benefited greatly from the international business traveller.

Mr. Allen said: "The future of tourism is in the hands of the young people, and there has been a shift away from tourism to an emphasis on international business, and we hope to have a shift back to tourism.

Tourism: The Island's young give their views "We hope to get Bermudians into the reinvention and relaunching of tourism and we hope to get young people interested in the future of tourism, and what better way than an essay competition.'' Grand prize winner, Laura Ashton, 14, of Bermuda High School, said her class was given the essay competition as an assignment which they completed over a two week period.

She said: "I got the ideas from my dad, who is into politics, and my parents run a guest house and a charter boat.'' Miss Ashton added that she would use her grand prize of a new iBook laptop for school work.

She will also have a chance to meet with Mr. Allen and discuss measures to boost tourism with him and attend the National Tourism Conference on Saturday.

The winning essays will be displayed at City Hall for one week.

For winning essays see the Young Observer on Page 32 AND THE WINNERS ARE: Grand Prize Winner -- Laura Ashton, Bermuda High School ------------ 15-18 Years 1st place-Denise Place, Cedarbridge Academy 2nd place-Wanda Trott, Bermuda Institute 3rd place-Keitha Trott, Bermuda Institute ------------ 10-14 years 1st place-Attiya Talbot, Whitney Institute 2nd place-Michael Fay, Saltus Senior School 3rd place-Akilah Beckles, Whitney Institute ------------ 7-9 years 1st place-Trailita Anderson, Heron Bay School 2nd place-Forrest Williams, Heron Bay School 3rd place-Darreana Burchall, Somerset Primary ------------ Grand prize winner received an iBook laptop computer donated by BIBA while first place winners received a Phoenix Stores Ltd. gift certificate and a family brunch for four at their choice of the Sonesta Beach Resort, The Fairmont Hamilton Princess Hotel or La Coquille Restuarant at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute.

Second place winners received a Phoenix Stores Ltd. gift certificate and book certificate.

Third place winners received a plaque and gift certificates from the Phoenix Stores Ltd.

Congratulations: Tourism Minister David Allen hands Laura Ashton a plaque and a new laptop computer for her winning entry in an Island wide school essay writing competition.