Exhibition spotlight on group, incentive travel By David Fox The World Travel Market, currently taking place in London, has tourism officials and hoteliers upbeat about prospects for 1996 and beyond.

There are a record number of destinations featured and local tourism officials are trumpeting what they view as the best response to the Bermuda exhibit ever.

That kind of attention will put them in a better position to deal with potential tourism business from the UK and Europe, especially in terms of group and incentive travel.

Tourism Minister David Dodwell said that he has already had some discussions in England about incentive tours. Bermuda has long attracted incentive business from North America and Mr. Dodwell said that it is an area that can be better developed in Europe and the UK.

"The good thing is that while the North Americans would be here for a week, the Europeans are likely to stay a little longer. Such groups, who are winners of company performance competitions, would want to be in Bermuda to utilise the Maritime Museum, for example, for special events and have theme parties and also play some golf.'' Mr. Mike Winfield, in London representing Cambridge Beaches, said, "The incentive and group business is a growing market.

"There was very good news from British Airways, expanding the number of flights back into the summer season earlier next year, starting in April, instead of May, which is very good for us.

"This is a market that has continued to grow, quite dramatically last year.

Bermuda seems to be of great interest and is relatively hot over here. We need to be very much in contact and working with all of the travel partners we have.'' Eight hoteliers, representing the Island's smaller hotels and cottage colonies, are a part of the delegation promoting Bermuda at what is being billed as "the global event for the travel industry''.

The world's leading travel and tourism officials are in London for the event, including representatives from more than 150 countries, 1,100 independent motels and international motel chains, over 600 exhibits from national and regional boards, 70 airlines, tour operators, car rental agencies, railways, cruise and ferry lines, coach operators, reservation systems, technology and telecommunications companies.

Tour operators, and other industry representatives, had an opportunity to meet the Tourism Minister on Monday during an informal tea.

"We've had a terrific response here. It has been exhilarating. There are some 4,249 exhibitors here from different countries and various US states,'' said Mr. Dodwell yesterday.

"It is a record exhibition in terms of the number of tourism destinations exhibiting here.

"We've had an extremely busy stand from two perspectives. One is those organisations who make appointments to see not only the Ministry officials, but also the individual hoteliers who are here.

"There are also people who are attending the show and are interested in talking to Bermuda contacts about a number of ideas.

"For example, there is one group who wants to arrange a golf tournament in Bermuda for 1997. They are interested in putting together a European players' golf tournament. Then there is a tour operator who is interested in developing a relationship with a particular hotel.'' The event opens to the general public today, although most of the emphasis was on the first three days, highlighted by meetings with travel industry professionals.

DAVID DODWELL -- "We've had a terrific response.''