The Society of American Travel Writers' conference opened in spectacular style yesterday with delegates told they will have lots of opportunities for stories and programmes when they are on the Island.

SATW President G. Douglas Hall told the 450 influential delegates and guests at the end of the opening ceremony at the Fairmont Southampton Princess: "You will have the opportunity to learn why Bermudians love their islands and protect them so vigilantly.''

Heavy rain yesterday caused organisers to cancel some of the planned trips for journalists and a scheduled gala dinner at the Maritime Museum last night has been rescheduled for Saturday night because the weather forecast was so poor.

Tourism public relations manager Charles Webbe, who is in charge of local events, praised the Island's restaurants in the dine-around programme for stepping in at the last minute to provide meals for the 450 visitors.

Saying disruption due to weather was minimal, he said: "It's just meant that people have had to turn on a dime and the travel writers have been very understanding.

"The staff at the restaurants have worked feverishly to meet those changes and I think augurs quite well. I think the writers have appreciated that flexibility."

The conference, the 46th in the society's history, was last held in Bermuda in 1963 and should provide a huge publicity spin-off for the Island.

When SATW went to Bangkok, Thailand, in 1997, it generated 116 articles which appeared in newspapers and magazines with a combined circulation of 43.9 million.

Israel in 1998 produced 87 articles with a circulation of 35.1 million, Banff, Alberta, Canada, resulted in 62 articles with a circulation of 25.4 million, while to date Wales, which hosted last year's conference, has benefited from 54 articles in publications with a circulation of 11.9 million.

Delegates who gathered in the hotel's Mid-Ocean Ampitheatre were told by Mr. Webbe: "It is a delight for us in the next few days to open our hotels, our guest houses, our restaurants and our homes to you, but above all, the Bermudian people, all of us, have opened our hearts to you."

Tourism Minister David Allen reminded the delegates of the close links between Bermuda and the US, dating back from the wreck of the Sea Venture in 1609, which was on its way to relieve the starving colony of Jamestown.

Bermuda was now the world capital of reinsurance, but over the years tourism had been relegated as the focus was turned on international business.

"This new Government has committed itself to the reinvention of tourism. This convention is part of that message," he said. "We are committed to putting tourism back, together with international business, because they are synergistic."

He reminded the delegates that there was $500 million of new building and hotel renovations underway, with $349 million supported by concessions from the Hotel Concessions Act.

Mr. Allen said the joint public and private sector Bermuda Alliance for Tourism was contributing to revitalising the industry, as were specific events such as the jazz and film festivals, the arts festival and the big game fishing tournament.

He reminded delegates that the earliest record of the trans-Atlantic slave trade was a reference to Juan de Bermudez having slaves on his ship when he discovered the Island around 1503. This helped inspire the new African Diaspora trail announced earlier this year.

Premier Jennifer Smith said before the era of travel writers, Bermuda had inspired writers such as William Shakespeare and Mark Twain, "and hopefully you, too, will succumb to the charm of our Island home".

The PLP was dedicated to reinventing tourism and had committed to training and education of the Bermudian people to do this so the Island can exceed visitors' expectations, Premier Jennifer Smith said.

Referring to Twain's famous quote about rather staying forever in Bermuda than going to heaven, she added: "I wouldn't go so far as to ask you to stay forever, but we hope you will come back and visit us many times.

Today's programme will focus on workshops and SATW business, but will also include talks by travel guru Peter Yesawich and Travel Association of America senior vice-president Dr. Suzanne Cook.