One of Europe?s most innovative figures in the low-price aviation, travel and leisure market is coming to Bermuda as a keynote speaker at a major tourism conference next week.

Greek-born Stelios Haji-Ioannou was only 28 when he set up the ground-breaking EasyJet airline company, which is generally credited with bringing low price airfares across Europe through its own services and those of imitators.

He has been lined up as a guest speaker for the tenth annual Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Investment Conference, which is being staged at the Fairmont Southampton Hotel.

The appearance of the EasyGroup owner, who prefers to be known by his first name Stelios, is a major draw for the conference. The businessman has branched out from the aviation business in the past ten years to offer branded low cost car hire, hotels, cruises, financial and other services linked with the travel and leisure industry.

It is expected 300 ?top tier executives? representing investors, tourism and a number of governments will attend the three-day event starting next Tuesday.

Deputy Premier and Tourism Minister Ewart Brown is delighted that such a high-profile figure will be speaking at the conference, which was last held in Bermuda in 2003.

Currently in New York where he is meeting tourism representatives responsible for promoting Bermuda in North America, Dr. Brown said Stelios was viewed as a ?cutting edge businessman? and he expected the Greek national?s views to be of interest to delegates.

However, it is not expected the EasyGroup entrepreneur will be revealing plans to expand his European-centric airline and cruise ship business to the region.

Dr. Brown believes the time is right for leading investors and tourism industry leaders to be visiting Bermuda.

?Investment money in the hospitality business is more readily available now that it has been in a long time,? said Dr. Brown, expressing the view that Bermuda has cultivated a favourable climate for investment, particularly with recent breakthroughs in attracting lower air fares.

The Tourism Minister intends to expand upon that theme when he holds his next quarterly luncheon for the tourism industry on May 11.

The tourism investment conference will feature experts in finance, development and tourism fields giving updates on changes and trends within the industry.

Amongst the topics to be discussed are timeshare and fractional deals, development projects, condo hotels, private residence clubs and mixed-use projects.

The conference is presented by the Caribbean Hotel Association, Caribbean Tourism Organisation and Burba Hotel Network and runs from April 4-6. It will look at the future of tourism in the Caribbean and ways to stimulate investment and visitor numbers.

Stelios Haji-Ioannou is due to give his keynote speech during a luncheon session next Thursday.