Sales officers for a global organisation that connects leading meeting and event professionals to luxury hotels, destinations and brands toured Bermuda this week, hosted by the Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA).Eight representatives of Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI) took part in a four-day site visit to the island, staying at the Hamilton Princess Hotel & Beach Club, meeting local destination management companies, and touring sites such as Commissioner’s House at Dockyard, Verdmont House in Smith’s, and other locations and hotels that offer group meeting space. As a member of ALHI’s Global Luxury Alliance, BTA leverages ALHI’s global sales officers through its New York-based sales team to help attract more lucrative group sales and meeting, incentives conference and exhibitions (MICE) tourism business to the island.“We’re thrilled to welcome ALHI back to Bermuda this week, and we’re proud to be an ALHI partner,” said Victoria Isley, BTA Chief Sales & Marketing Officer. “Bermuda has always been a first-class destination for meetings and incentives travel, a lucrative and influential market sector that’s vitally important to the island’s year-round tourism industry and economy. Expanding group business is a key goal of the National Tourism Plan.”One of the National Tourism Plan core pillars is teams and group travel, including conferences and corporate incentives programmes that also extend Bermuda’s year-round seasonality. Groups have accounted for 19 percent of all hotel room nights in Bermuda on average over the past three years.With its curated portfolio of luxury hotels, cruise lines and resorts throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, Boston-based ALHI has 27 offices worldwide, extending Bermuda’s marketing and sales efforts by providing access to leading meeting professionals, incentive specialists, association executives, convention planners and business executives managing meetings and programmes. “Seeing is believing and this week’s visit provided an eye-opening experience for us,” said California-based ALHI Regional VP Amber Voelker, who noted only one member of the group had visited Bermuda previously. “Our customers ask us for options, and experiencing everything first-hand—the beautiful scenery, the friendliness, the phenomenal sites and culinary experiences, the high-end amenities and overall sophistication—will make us even better sales people for Bermuda.”• Press release from the Bermuda Tourism Authority