The African Diaspora Heritage Trail conference will be hosted by Lafayette, Louisiana this year.The event, which brings together representatives from countries affected by the migration to and from Africa, was first held in Bermuda in 2002, becoming an annual event in 2006. The theme for this year’s conference is “The Journey of the Creoles Seeking the Promised Land”.Tourism Minister Shawn Crockwell said he is pleased to see the ADHT has grown into a worldwide phenomenon since it was first launched.Mr Crockwell said the Ministry would like to focus more on attracting African American tourists to the Island, and the Diaspora trail could play an important role in that effort.However, when questioned he could not give any figures as to how successful the ADHT has been at attracting visitors in past years.“Hopefully by the end of this year we will have some numbers and will be able to tell if it has any impact,” he said.ADHT chair Maxine Esdaille said: “It’s about culture and heritage. It’s about the opportunity for all of us in Bermuda to learn about a specific component of what makes us who we are today.“It is no longer just a tourism product. It is a product that is both cultural and a tourism product.”Minister of Community and Cultural Development Wayne Scott said the Diaspora Trail is an important part of Bermudian history, and that it is significant that the conference will be held in Louisiana.“I am quite sure our former Minister of Tourism David Allen, who had a vision for the world to have an appreciation for the heritage of Africa and the African diaspora, would be quite thrilled at the prospect that the ADHT [Conference] would be held at a place where a vibrant culture, much like our own, is celebrated.”