Bermuda is about to embark on a new tourism marketing strategy aimed at attracting more first-time visitors to the Island.

Minister for Tourism and Telecommunications Ren?ee Webb said the Tourism department would be modifying its marketing techniques by better channelling its budget to promote just key events and enhancing its offices in gateway cities, including England.

The move comes after Elliott Ettenberg, president of Ettenberg and Co., completed a marketing audit on tourism and presented it to Cabinet, which showed that 53 percent of visitors to Bermuda returned in three years.

While that was very impressive, Mr. Ettenberg said, more needed to be done to get new visitors here.

At a Press conference yesterday at Elbow Beach Hotel, he said: ?The problem is not bringing in new people ? that?s the challenge.?

Ms Webb said the overall thrust of the report was positive and that it totally supported the targeted marketing campaign launched earlier in the year, which was at the affluent traveller aged between 35 and 60.

And she said it encouraged the department to expand further in narrowing, but deepening its marketing spend.

However, the report said more needed to be done to market the Island on the Internet, as many travellers now investigated destinations on the web, and some even booked direct, rather than going through travel agents.

And the report said the department had to spend less on marketing events classed as local, and more on events that brought in tourists.

?With respect to spending, the report recommends more effective use of existing funds by focussing resources upon gateway markets with a view to doubling the impact of the present campaign on these critical cities,? said the Minister.

?Other recommendations include focussing resources on fewer but higher profile on-Island events, like the Jazz Festival. A heightened evening activity strategy, further development of fast ferry transports, further development of the golf and tennis potential and the development of a loyalty programme to give further incentive to repeat visitors.?

Ms Webb said the change in strategy could have some kind of impact on the marketing budget because funds would be re-deployed, but she said whether the budget would be increased or decreased she did not know.

However, she said nothing in the report had surprised her.

?It only confirms the direction we should go,? she added.

?The point is having major events that will drive tourists to Bermuda. Right now, the tourist department supports a number of events, many of which do not drive tourists to Bermuda.?

But she said it may be that some events are now transferred to other ministries for promotion and financial support, such as sport and cultural affairs.

However, she said she also believed that Bermuda was losing out to other destinations because of its lack of night entertainment ? something she has voiced before.

The Minister said Aruba last year increased its number of tourists by 15 percent each month, and she believed that was partly because it offered a wide selection of nightlife.

And Ms Webb said one aspect she was still interested in was bringing gaming in some form to the Island, although whether that would entail casinos she did not know.

That issue is still to be discussed by the ruling Progressive Labour Party.

?We have to look at entertainment,? she said.

?Certainly, we have to look at all the options before deciding which way Bermuda is going to move forward. If Bermuda is going to remain competitive, we need to look at what the tourists want and what other jurisdictions are doing. Entertainment is a major issue.?

However, as well as enhancing the North American gateway cities, Ms Webb said she was also keen to better promote Bermuda in the UK.

Out of a possible 60 million residents in the UK, only about 23,000 a year visit Bermuda.

Mr. Ettenberg said there were some wonderful advantages about having the brand of Bermuda and said it was a highly rated destination.

But he said while the Island had been successful in its repeat visitor programme, it had a long way to go in attracting new tourists.

And he admitted that the Island was not the cheapest possible holiday, but he said it should not try to be.

?There is a perception that it?s not the cheapest place to go, but I don?t think it should be,? he added.

?I think you give excellent value.?