boost to their coffers.

They have combined with the Department of Tourism to pump up business between November and March.

It is the first joint venture of its kind, taking months of planning.

And it will involve targeting big businesses overseas to woo them into holding meetings and conferences here.

There will be special incentives to encourage groups to come here.

Hotels taking part are the two Princess properties, Elbow Beach, Sonesta, and Marriott's Castle Harbour.

They will be featured in elaborate information packs put together by American direct mailing firm, Equations.

These will be sent to companies and people interested in convention business.

The Department of Tourism's Communications Manager Ms Wendy Davis said yesterday: "This is something we have wanted to do for a long time.

"Group business is absolutely critical to Bermuda's well being and hopefully a source of important revenue.

"It can actually make or break a hotel, and for years we have wanted to promote that business.

"What we are engaging in is very narrow niche marketing.'' Ms Davis said a "direct mailing'' programme was a comparatively "cost effective'' way of attracting business.

The department would be sharing the cost of the scheme with the five hotels, she added.

"We will be funding it through our marketing budget.'' Ms Davis said the information packs were still being completed by Equations.

"The packs will have a covering letter and contain information about the hotels.

"There will also be some sort of incentive to convince people to come here.'' Ms Davis, however, said the form of incentive had not been settled on.

Bosses of Elbow Beach -- which is party of the Wyndham hotel chain -- yesterday voiced enthusiasm for the project.

Director of resort sales for Wyndham Hotels and Resorts Mr. Jack Westman said it would provided a much-needed boost for the November 16-March 31 period.

This was the low period for hotels throughout Bermuda, and convention business could plug the gap in occupancy levels.

Mr. Westman said Bermuda's major hotels naturally stood to gain most from the project.

But there would also be plenty of spin-offs with a boost in tourism spending.