A new tourism consultant is to be hired by Government in an attempt to get the flagging industry back on track.

Minister of Tourism and Telecommunications Renee Webb said she would be making an announcement in the New Year as to who the consultant would be, and said she hoped they would begin by the end of January.

She has met with a consultant from the US and one from Canada, but refused to name either until she had made her choice.

But she said their objective would be simple; to assess Bermuda's tourism industry, carry out in depth research and investigations, and recommend radical changes for the better.

She said: "We have a good team of tourism people on the Island, but they are involved in their day to day jobs and it is difficult for them to take time out and spend a long time carrying out an in depth look at the industry. We need someone specific for the task at hand.

"When people are doing it on a day to day basis, they can't look outside the box. We want someone to come in with new ideas outside of Bermuda. We want someone to really look at what we are doing and tell us whether we are going in the right direction.

"The consultant will be able to tell us whether he thinks we are marketing in the right direction, and where we need to enhance marketing and whether we need to enhance the Bermuda Alliance for Tourism."

Ms Webb said she believed the consultant's workload would be project-led, and said it was impossible at this time to know how long they would be retained for. She said they would not be constantly based here, but instead would travel in and out of the Island as and when needed.

But Ms Webb said both of the male candidates she had looked at were extremely well qualified and would bring a great deal to the Island.

The tourism advisor will be the fifth consultant to join the Tourism, Telecommunications and E-Commerce Ministries under the leadership of Ms Webb.

Hala El Bar Kouky, of ABC Consultants, was signed up some months ago to advise on and overhaul the Government information technology and computer systems department.

She is on a retainer and travels to and from the Island periodically as the process to co-ordinate and implement the civil service computer system continues.

Ms Webb said she first met Egyptian Ms Kouky two years ago at a trade fair, but signed up her services when Government was looking for an information technology advisor.

Briton Nigel Hickson has been on the Island for several months, also, as an E-Commerce consultant; Canadian Don Donovan specialises in telecommunications; and Bill Francis is also advising on computer systems.

Ms Webb said all retained consultants were paid between $7,000 and $10,000 a month, as well as hotel and food expenses, but she said they were worth every penny.

In the long-run, the Minister said, consultants, as opposed to large firms, cost less and saved Government money.

Ms Webb added: "I can tell you that consultants are necessary and effective."

The Royal Gazette was unable to reach Shadow Tourism Minister David Dodwell last night, or Bermuda Hotel Association executive director John Harvey.