Tourism Minister David Allen has backed an eco-tourism resort for the West End after visiting a similar property in the Caribbean.

Mr. Allen spoke to The Royal Gazette yesterday from St. John in the US Virgin Islands where he is visiting a resort built by the man behind the proposed Daniel's Head development.

Stanley Selengut is considered the "Pied Piper of the eco-tourism trend'' and is very widely respected, said Mr. Allen.

Mr. Selengut's company Campers Villages LLC has applied to build an eco-tourism resort at Daniel's Head which will feature 125 canvas covered cottages, a community and craft centre and a recycling centre.

The firm operates four similar developments in the US Virgin Islands and Mr.

Allen visited the resort for Government.

There he saw the prototype cottages for the site in Bermuda which consist of rigid wooden frames and canvas roofs.

Mr. Selengut's application to build the resort is before the Development Applications Board although Mr. Allen said he hoped building would get underway before the end of the year.

"I hope it will be dealt with fairly quickly,'' said Mr. Allen, "but there are objectors involved. This development will be very good for Bermuda.

Bermuda will have a state-of-the-art, cutting-edge eco-tourism resort when it opens.''