Bermuda Tourism headed off for Europe over the weekend for a two-day promotional tour.

The London and Manchester marketplace events come after job losses were announced in the Island's European offices.

A total of $250,000 was slashed from the UK and Europe marketing budget and Tourism Minister David Allen said the reductions -- as a result of a five percent department-wide trimming back -- had led to the staffing cuts.

And he added that he had also dismissed promotional partners in Germany because "we didn't think they were doing a good job''.

The budget cut translates to a fall from $3,175,000 last year to $2,925,000 in the coming financial year.

Hoteliers, the Bermuda Hotel Association and Government officials will fly off to the UK in the next few days. The marketplaces run in London today and Manchester on Wednesday.

It will give hoteliers a chance to meet face to face with agents and travel partners.

Last year, UK visitors fell from 30,379 to 28,137 in 1998, but the number was still the second highest ever.

Vacationers from Europe increased by 11 percent in the same period, up from 6,717 to 7,460.

Despite the cuts, Mr. Allen said there was a proposal for a twice a week service from Frankfurt, which he added would allievate the airlift situation from London.

"We are losing groups from the UK because we can't get enough seats from London,'' he told the House of Assembly during the Tourism budget debate.

Following the London promotion, a delegation will be heading to Atlanta in March to raise the curtain on the new, second Delta flight from the city to the Island.

And at the end of the month, a three-day tour will take in Minneapolis, Chicago and St. Louis as part of a promotional blitz to back up the new TWA service from Missouri during the summer.

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