visitors to Bermuda has been grounded.

Tourism Minister David Allen said New Jersey-based VCG2 were no longer involved in the campaign to woo wealthy black tourists to the Island.

But he added that the specific market area was being focused on as part of the integrated campaign currently being promoted by the Department of Tourism and its partners.

VCG2 were responsible for last summer's pilot programme which aimed to draw African Americans to the Island. It used the Cup Match/Emancipation Day holiday as the initial focus.

Cable television and a promotion featuring New York radio host Isaac Hayes were used to create awareness of Bermuda.

But Mr. Allen said the results of the initial effort were less than the Department hoped for, with nearly 200 people visiting the Island as a result of the publicity.

"It got some numbers,'' he said. "It was great at creating awareness. We would have liked to see a greater conversion into bookings.'' He added that they were now building on the awareness created, via a database collated by VCG2 which was helping incumbent agency J. Walter Thompson target visitors.

The information gathered last year is now being used in direct mail shots and via the Internet.

"We decided not to outsource the campaign for the African-American market. It is being done by our integrated agencies. We are going back to those people with a direct marketing campaign to interest them in coming to Bermuda.'' The effort includes using African-American publications and aiming for the type of wealthy person who would see Bermuda as an attractive holiday destination.

VCG2 outlined this type of visitor as someone with an income of $50,000 plus who typically spent more on vacations than whites.

The pilot programme promoted common links between black Bermudians and their US counterparts and the social/cultural aspect of an Island vacation.

The two areas focused on were New York and Washington D.C.