AN $800,000 contract has been awarded to two local companies to market Bermuda as an e-business destination in the United States and the United Kingdom.

The Ministry of Tourism, Telecommunications & E-Commerce yesterday announced that Aardvark Communications and Troncossi Public Relations had been awarded the two-year contract, and would together implement a "fully integrated marketing plan" in conjunction with US-based company,The Horn Group.

But Shadow E-Commerce Minister Trevor Moniz cautioned that such money could be better spent locally than on marketing efforts abroad. And he said Government had provided no greater insight to its plans for e-business than those detailed in its Green Paper last year, which gave no analysis or economic research to back up its conclusions.

"All other economies have found the most important influence of the Internet has been on existing businesses and making them more effective," he said. "Looking back at the Government paper on e-business, we found it contained a lot of waffle.

"There was no data to back it up. What are the possibilities? We questioned that very severely in the debate in the House of Assembly. It's better to stick to existing business and say how we can use it with the advances in existing technology. I am sceptical as to what the Government is trying to do."

Tourism, Telecommunications & E-Commerce Minister Ren?e Webb yesterday praised the two companies, saying their skills would help ensure that Bermuda's recognition.

"E-business is an important growth area for Bermuda and the appointment of two highly competent Bermudian companies to communicate our message about Bermuda's skills and services will ensure we are rightly recognised as a leading e-business destination around the globe," she said.

Ms Webb's expressed faith in the companies was echoed by e-commerce consultant Nigel Hickson: "The e-Bermuda marketing team has been developed because of its experience in the e-business industry, having worked for companies such as Cable & Wireless, Motiva, Agile Software, as well as local companies such as AT & T Wireless, Quo Vadis and Ignition.

"Each of the marketing partners knows the relevant media and audiences inside and out. As a team, they have an excellent network of partners and contacts to work with for the purposes of the programme, and we look forward to seeing their work come to fruition."

The two local firms beat out six others to win the contract and plan to incorporate advertising, direct mail, market research, online marketing, and public relations into the completed marketing plan.

"Once we have completed our initial research to find out how the international and local business community perceives Bermuda as an e-business destination, we look forward to showing the Ministry how we can successfully market our opportunity," said Ben Fairn, managing director of Aardvark. "Via a strategic and creative communications campaign we will help businesses in the USA to understand Bermuda's sophisticated and competitive e-business capabilities and consequently encourage the growth of e-business in Bermuda."

Added managing director of Troncossi Public Relations Elizabeth Tee: "We look forward to influencing our media contacts around the world to position Bermuda as the foremost off-shore jurisdiction for secure e-business, and to improving the status of Bermuda in the e-business world.

"We also wish to increase the awareness of the sophistication of businesses already operating in Bermuda and to position Bermuda as thought leaders in a number of e-business areas."

It would be a good idea if the companies were to make their findings public before moving ahead with a strategy, Mr. Moniz added.

"I'm not quite sure what they're trying to achieve. It seems they're not sure either as the first thing they're doing is research to find out what people want."