THE outsourcing firm controversially hired to replace Bermudians made redundant from the Department of Tourism's New York office last year has announced that its remit will include marketing Bermuda not only to the US but to Canada and the UK.

This is despite the Government's recent $1.46-million expenditure setting up a London office for the Department of Tourism.

Maryland-based Sales Focus Inc. announced the signing of Bermuda as its "first destination island" client on Tuesday.

Company representative Anthony Horwath explained that "the initial focus for Bermuda will be the eastern seaboard of the US, Canada and the UK".

"Each market will have a dedicated sales representative focused on driving travel and tourism to Bermuda," he added.

Director of Tourism Billy Griffith (pictured) told the Mid-Ocean News yesterday that Sales Focus' announcement that it would target the UK "has nothing to do with the London office [of Bermuda Tourism] at all", and that the outsourcing firm was originally hired with the intention of reaching potential tourists on both sides of the Atlantic.

The 2,600-square-foot London office was set up at the end of 2008 to give the Bermuda Government "a presence where they can build important relationships that benefit their citizens", as Premier Ewart Brown told The Royal Gazette in October.

The Department of Tourism office is on Arlington Street in London's tony Mayfair area, a stone's throw from the famous Ritz Hotel and across Green Park from Buckingham Palace. The Government allocated $1.46 million in 2008's Budget to the office, which is overseen by London-based Tourism employee Kimberley Durrant.

Sales Focus hit local headlines last year when Premier Ewart Brown, who is also Tourism Minister, announced the US-based outfit would take over the Department of Tourism's New York office.

At the time, Bermuda Public Services Union representatives said that up to 20 Bermudians ¿ some of whom had 30 years' service with Tourism ¿ were to be made redundant on five weeks' notice after Cabinet agreed to outsource sales to Sales Focus.

Government, however, maintained the figure was eight staff.

In an 'Open Letter to the People of Bermuda' in the Gazette after the redundancies were announced, the staff of the Department of Tourism's said they felt "deceived" and "deeply disrespected" by the outsourcing of their jobs. The employees accused the Bermuda Government of attempting "to rob Bermudians of their jobs with no shame or empathy".

Mr. Griffith is quoted in Sales' Focus press notice this week as saying the relationship with the outsourcing firm will allow Bermuda's tourism product to reach an "untapped market".