“I am honored to have been appointed to the role of General Chair of the 2010 PGA Grand Slam Executive Committee,” said Mr. Tyrrell, former President of the Bermuda Football Association. “It will give me another opportunity to use my organizational skills gained in assisting with several other major events in Bermuda both sporting and social.”

Mr. Tyrrell has been on Bermuda’s Board of Trustees for public golf since 2006. It is his second stint on the board. He has a long record of volunteerism and public service on the island. Mr. Tyrrell is also an avid golfer.

Premier Dr. Ewart Brown, Minister of Tourism and Transport, appointed Mr. Tyrrell General Chairman in the spring of this year. “Neville Tyrrell has had his hands in golf administration for many years,” the Premier said. “His connections with Bermuda’s business sector should promote support from that community for the Grand Slam.”

Almost 100% of the Grand Slam Executive Committee is back in place this year to outdo last year’s exceptional performance – the first time the internationally televised tournament was held at Port Royal, one of Bermuda’s public golf courses.

The Grand Slam Executive Committee is responsible for a long list of tasks including marshalling and recruiting an army of volunteers, arranging logistics for the tournament and coordinating with the PGA of America and Port Royal staffs. All of the committee work is done on a volunteer basis.

Mr. Tyrrell said: “My job as the General Chair has been made easier by the willingness of every sub-Chair from the 2009 Grand Slam coming back on-board, bringing their past experience. I am very grateful for their support in carrying out the various duties so far, ensuring that the 2010 event will be even better than 2009.”

The PGA Grand Slam features four of the best golfers from the year’s major championships – the Masters, the U.S. Open, the Open Championship and the PGA Championship. Phil Mickelson, Graeme McDowell and Louis Oosthuizen have qualified for this year’s Grand Slam. The fourth qualifier will come from this weekend’s PGA Championship.

The event, to be played at Bermuda’s Port Royal Golf Course, is televised in 100 countries around the world. It takes place October 18 – 20, 2010. The Department of Tourism has used the event over the past three years to market the country as a premier golf destination.

Premier Brown said: “This is the final year of a four-year deal with the PGA. I think our relationship with the PGA is solid and we’re all working hard to make this year’s Grand Slam the most exciting of all.”

Premier Brown said, “This was a fantastic Masters…..a golfer’s dream finish. Phil Mickelson played a wonderful round and deserved to win his third Green Jacket. For Bermuda and the PGA Grand Slam, the outcome could be hugely positive considering Phil’s immense popularity. In my meetings with the PGA here in Augusta, they were very upbeat about this year’s Grand Slam and I am hopeful that we will negotiate an extension of our agreement.”

The 2010 PGA Grand Slam of Golf will return to the Port Royal Golf Course in Southampton, Bermuda, October 18-20, where Lucas Glover posted a five-stroke triumph over Angel Cabrera in last year’s meeting of major champions.

The development, on the site of the old Munro Beach Cottages, will include 26 two-bedroom hotel suites, a restaurant, and swimming pool. The site is adjacent to the Port Royal Golf Course.

The developer is Moongate Resorts, owned by Kevin Petty of Newstead Belmont Hills.

Munro Beach Cottages closed in July 2007.

Director of Tourism Mr. William Griffith said, “We are delighted that NBC has chosen Bermuda and our newly renovated Port Royal Golf Course to film this new program. I am sure that we will see an increase in the number of golf vacations to Bermuda after the show airs.”

Global Golf Adventure is a ground breaking, first of its kind golf and travel show for US Network television. The show is a 30 minute fast paced golf and travel show hosted by NBC Sports’ Mark Rolfing. Each show highlights a unique destination and its adventures for active golf travellers, including an interview with a celebrity guest. The celebrity guest for the Bermuda segment is 2009 Open Championship winner Stewart Cink.

“I am happy to create a show that is long overdue for network television. I am especially excited to showcase Bermuda. This will be my first visit but I’ve heard so many great things about the island from the participants in the Grand Slam.” said Rolfing.

NBC Sports will film in Bermuda March 27th – 30th, 2010 and the show will air on NBC on May 8, 2010 at 2:30pm (AST).

Mark Rolfing, NBC Sports

The 64 Degrees Bar & Grill is part of Claudio Vigilante’s Fresco’s Group and is named after Bermuda’s geographical location at 64 degrees longitude.

Australian head chef Troy Smith has previously worked with Vigilante at Aqua, Ariel Sands.

Other restaurants in the Fresco’s Group are Fresco’s, Silk, Opus, and Aqua (at the Surf Side Beach Club).

Premierf Dr. Ewart Brown, who is also Minister of Tourism & Transport, said: “This is the fifth year for the Love Festival and I am more than pleased with how the event has grown over the years. The activities planned for this year are sure to entice couples to come and Feel the Love this Valentine’s weekend.”

The Bermuda International Love Festival is an annual weekend getaway flooded with romantic touches from evening cocktails and rounds of golf to great eats and dreamy serenades. It is the ultimate luxury love experience for the well-deserving couple. From February 12-14, 2010 couples will enjoy the plush accommodations and amenities of the Fairmont Hamilton Princess while being treated as preferential guests all weekend long.

This year, some of the festival’s highlights include:

• The Premier’s opening celebration featuring Robb Report’s “Best of the Best,” at the Tucker’s Point Hotel & Spa followed by a performance by The Wycliffe Gordon Quartet, hosted by Robb Report
• Men’s and women’s golf at the newly renovated Port Royal Golf Course, home of the 2009 and 2010 PGA Grand Slam of Golf, hosted by GolfWorld Magazine
• An intimate dinner party at Port O’Call Restaurant
• Brunch at The Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art
• VIP seating for a performance by Grammy award-winner, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, sponsored by the Bermuda alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated
• Private performance by R&B legend, Chuck Jackson

To top it off, couples can let their hair down at any of Bermuda’s hottest nightclubs, or simply unwind at one of Bermuda’s renowned spas.

Travel packages to the 2010 International Love Festival cost $1,600.00 per couple and include an exclusive Gold Room at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess for three nights as well as all Love Festival activities. To revive your love connection in paradise this Valentine’s Day weekend with that special someone visit www.bermudalovefestival.com.

The ‘Grand Slam Package’ is an attractively priced vacation package that includes four night’s deluxe accommodations, breakfast and dinner daily, and tickets to the final round of the PGA Grand Slam of Golf. Also included are participation in a clinic taught by a PGA teaching professional and two rounds of golf, including play at the Port Royal Course, site of the PGA Grand Slam of Golf. ‘Spectator Packages’ for those not wanting to play golf are also available.

The PGA Grand Slam of Golf is a 36-hole championship to be held October 20, 21, 2009, at the recently renovated Port Royal Golf Course in Bermuda.

TNT will nationally televise the event that is scheduled to feature the 2009 Major Champions; Angel Cabrera, winner of The Masters, U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover, Stewart Cink, winner of The British Open, and Y.E. Yang the winner of the recently held PGA Championship.

Willowbank is a non-profit, non-denominational, Christian owned and operated hotel and conference centre situated on the scenic peninsula overlooking picturesque Ely’s Harbour in Sandys Parish, Bermuda. In existence since 1960, the 170 room hotel features panoramic views of the ocean, food prepared daily by world-class chefs, recreational activities and a recently completed 250-seat conference centre.

The Premier said, ‘Playing with Stewart Cink was an honour. He is a kind gentleman who says he cannot wait to come to Bermuda. He was very approachable and offered tips to the amateurs as we went through the round.’

During his round the Premier, who is also Minister of Tourism and Transport, wore a Port Royal-branded shirt and hat from the Port Royal Golf Course Pro Shop.

Ewart Brown and Stewart Cink

Bermuda Tourism’s marketing partnership with the Deutsche Bank Championship is part of the same agreement that brought together Bermuda and the Boston Red Sox.

“Golf has always been a major part of our effort to attract visitors, but now with Port Royal ready for action and the Grand Slam returning Golf and Spa Season is more crucial than ever,” said Premier Dr. Ewart Brown, Minister of Tourism and Transport.

Golf and spa season is generally described as November to March.

On Thursday, September 3rd, during the pro-am round of the Deutsche Bank Championship, Bermuda Tourism will co-sponsor a hole-in-one contest with Tucker’s Point Hotel & Spa. If a player hits a hole-in-one on the par 3 eighth hole that player and three friends will win a full year of weekend golf getaways to Bermuda. The winner’s foursome will play at Tucker’s Point Golf Club and stay at the Tucker’s Point Hotel & Spa. A full year is defined as up to 52 weekends and includes airfare.

Premier Brown is scheduled to play in the pro-am. He said: “The prize is designed to remind people that Bermuda is so close to the U.S. east coast you can hop on a plane in the morning and be on the course by lunchtime. You can do it every weekend and never get tired of it. I don’t know if anyone will get the prize, but I know everyone will get the message.”

Bermuda is about two hours from most major cities in the northeast United States.

Between September 3rd and September 7th a Department of Tourism team from the New York office will be on-hand to capture data from golf fans, answer questions about Bermuda vacations and give away incentive prizes.

On the final day of the Championship, Labour Day, Bermuda Tourism will host a hospitality area near the 16th green for Bermuda Tourism industry partners.

It is the second time this baseball season tourism officials will hone in on Fenway Park as part of a marketing partnership with Fenway Sports Group. June 19th at Fenway was Bermuda Night as the Red Sox played the Atlanta Braves. September 8th the Red Sox play the Baltimore Orioles.

“We had our first chance to directly engage premium ticketholders at Fenway Park with a Bermuda Night in June and it went extremely well,” said Premier Dr. Ewart Brown, Minister of Tourism and Transport. “When a second opportunity presented itself for this year we did not hesitate. This time we will focus on the upcoming golf and spa season and we are getting almost unprecedented participation from our local tourism partners who want to be a part of this great promotional opportunity.”

Bermuda Tourism’s enhanced effort in Boston has the support of JetBlue Airways which has seen growth on its Boston to Bermuda route.

Chad Meyerson of JetBlue Airways is sales manager for the Latin American and Caribbean region. He said: “Since the inception of our $99 promotion in the Boston market, JetBlue has seen an increase in revenue and bookings to Bermuda. Given the current economic climate, that’s no small feat. The JetBlue team could not be more pleased with the Bermuda Department of Tourism’s strategic marketing efforts, particularly in the Boston area.”

JetBlue is also a marketing partner of the Boston Red Sox and joined forces with Bermuda for Bermuda Night in June.

The September 8th game will not be branded as Bermuda Night as it was earlier in the year, but Bermudians will once again feature prominently. Saxophonist Wendell “Shine” Hayward will play an instrumental rendition of the U.S. National Anthem, Tourism Board Chairman E. Michael Jones will toss out the ceremonial first pitch and Premier Brown will talk about Bermuda Tourism with a NESN broadcaster during the game’s television coverage.

Premium ticketholders on the suite level of Fenway Park will each get a gift bag with Bermuda Tourism-branded merchandise and golf and spa offers to drive visitors during the baseball post-season and off-season. Additionally premium ticketholders have the opportunity to win a handful of grand prizes which include Bermuda vacations, spa treatments, rounds of golf and golf clubs.

Tucker’s Point Hotel & Spa, Elbow Beach Hotel, Fairmont Bermuda, Pompano Beach Club, The Reefs, Port Royal Golf Course, Nike Golf, JetBlue Airways and Newstead Belmont Hills are among the tourism partners marketing to premium ticketholders and offering prizes.

The Department of Tourism is also partnering with rum maker Gosling’s for a pre-game cocktail mixer in Boston on September 8th. The event is designed to generate interest in Gosling’s rum and Bermuda Tourism.

Premier Brown said: “We have some buzz worthy activities in the works for the Boston area to take us into the golf and spa season. With these heavy traffic activities, the new TV spots and our sharp-look print campaign we are strengthening our position for the upcoming golf and spa season.”