reviving the local tourism industry.

Leading US planning consultancy firm, LDR International has been selected to help prepare a "long-term strategic plan'' for tourism in Bermuda, the team's chairman Mr. James Masters announced this week.

Mr. Masters further said that sometime in March the team would be holding public meetings to learn how residents think tourism should be revived.

Since the team was formed last autumn, as part of Government's Commission on Competitiveness, it has set up several task forces to review various sectors of the industry.

The team's other members include Tourism Director, Mr. Gary Phillips, Dean of Business and Hotel Administration at the Bermuda College, Mr. Michael Conlin, and managing director of the Reefs hotel, Mr. David Dodwell.

Mr. Masters said Maryland-based LDR specialised in tourism development and had worked for the London Docklands Corporation, the English Tourism Board and the Scottish Development Agency. It had also helped boost tourism in destinations and resorts in the Caribbean including Hawaii, Grand Cayman, Antigua, Puerto Rico and Curacao.

LDR will be assisted by the non-profit US Travel Data Centre in Washington DC and the Baltimore-based advertising agency of Trahan, Burden and Charles Inc.

A grant from the Bank of Bermuda's Centennial Trust will fund the hiring of the consultancy firm and two agencies, said Mr. Masters, who is senior vice president of the Bank.