An announcement on who will be awarded Government's lucrative travel contract is expected this month.

A Government spokesperson told The Royal Gazette this week that submissions made by local travel agencies in June - in a bid to win the contract with an expected budget of between $4 and $5 million - are still under consideration.

Both the Finance and Transport Minister are sitting on the Cabinet committee which will ultimately make the decision. Finance Minister Eugene Cox is currently on holiday, but Government Information Services (GIS) said a decision should be made before the end of the month.

At least one travel agent has called on the Government to make their decision as soon as possible. The agent added that she hoped Government would "spread" the business around a number of the agencies - as a means of helping an industry which has been hit by a drop in travel - following the September 11 attacks.

GIS could not comment on whether the contract would go to only one, or several travel agencies.

Travel agents were in an uproar last year when Cabinet awarded all Government business to a single company - Travel Planners. In the past, individual Government departments chose which travel agent they wished to use.