The man in charge of the operation to sell Bermuda to the UK and European traveller yesterday revealed that his team would be increasing its focus on the Internet as a sales tool in the near future.

The news came as the fourth year of an event dedicated to selling Bermuda in England began at the hotel Le Meridien in London's Piccadilly Circus.

Director of Tourism in Europe, Ian Parker, took time out from the Bermuda Marketplace to tell The Royal Gazette : "We must be aware of this new medium.

"Airport exit polls this year showed that about 45 percent of the people who came to Bermuda from the UK have the necessary facilities to get on the Web.

"In the UK as a whole, 25 percent of the people have access to the Internet.

"Of this total, 20 percent used our web site to find out more about Bermuda.

This is up from 12 percent in 1998.

"With that sort of growth, we have to be aware of the Web,'' But this new focus on the World Wide Web does not mean the work in the UK to create the specialist travel agents and tour operators will be for naught.

Specialist travel agents receive focussed training through a three step programme which includes a visit to the Island to help them better sell Bermuda to their clients.

There are 202 throughout the UK now in areas that boast Bermudian clientele, and potential visitors. Plans are in the works to add 20 more agents to this total.

Mr. Parker stressed that while the Department wanted to be at the forefront of the electronic media revolution it would not do this at their expense.

"We want to try and be at the forefront of electronic media.

"We also must balance this with the importance of the travel agents and tour operators. We have invested a lot of money in them and a lot of people book Bermuda through them.

"We must get the balance between servicing our traditional market and being sure that we are ahead of the game with the new electronic media.

"We do not wish to give up our traditional focus as the bulk of our business comes from them.'' Instead, said Mr. Parker, the focus on the Internet and development of the department's web site in the UK would complement the work of the travel agents and tour operators -- who were also increasing their focus on the Internet as a tool.

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