Tourism Awareness Week -- a seven-day programme of "fun'' industry-related events -- kicks off today in Olympian fashion.

At 1 p.m., teams from five local hotels will compete in the so-called Hotel Olympics on Front Street.

Scheduled in conjunction with the Island's annual Street Festival, it is being sponsored by the Tourism Department and the Hospitality Sales Marketing Association International.

Among the scheduled events in the Olympics are a bellman's race, a wine-uncorking contest and a bed-making competition.

The teams will consist of members from the Southampton Princess Hotel, the Belmont Hotel, the Stonington Beach Hotel, White Sands and Rosedon.

One hour before the Olympics start, meanwhile, prizes will be presented at the Flag Pole on Front Street to winners of the Tourism Department's recent essay-writing contest.

The contest -- based on the theme of tourism and crime -- was open to any Bermudian student aged five to 17.

Winning essays and others will be published on the Young Observer Page in next Saturday's Royal Gazette .

On Friday, Tourism Awareness Week will culminate in a banquet at the Elbow Beach Hotel's Cafe Lido, HSMAI spokesman Mr. Duncan Tavares said yesterday.

He added that the Hotelier of the Year award will also be given at the dinner, which is to feature Governor Lord Waddington as guest of honour and music by Island Fever.

Tickets for the banquet can be purchased by calling 292-1055.

Other events that have been scheduled as part of Tourism Awareness Week include: A joint HSMAI-Bermuda Hotel Association golf tournament at the Belmont Hotel on Tuesday.

A series of five hospitality industry career profiles in this week's Royal Gazette .

And participation by an HSMAI team in this year's Corporate Relay race.

Interested parties can get information on Tuesday's golf tournament by calling the BHA, Mr. Tavares said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Randy Horton of the Tourism Department said yesterday that forecasts of inclement weather this weekend will not be enough to dampen the Island's Street Festival. "We've had worse weather than this on the day before the Festival and have gone ahead with it,'' he told The Royal Gazette .

"In any case, some forecasters have predicted that the bad weather will go past us. I believe them.'' In the event of any inclement weather, Mr. Horton added, all Festival activities will be held at Number One Shed in Hamilton.

Advertisements for the Festival warn the public that events may be moved indoors.

Yesterday, the public was also notified that Front Street will be closed to traffic from Court to Queen Streets between 10.30 a.m. and 4 p.m. -- the hours of the Festival. Motorists were asked to remove their vehicles from the area before 6 a.m. this morning or risk having them towed.