of three Canadian visitors.

And it is understood that Police will be questioning the man about other matters that remain unsolved in Police files.

The announcement comes three days after Police reported that a knife wielding thug confronted the trio -- Canadian Senator Donald Oliver and a Nepean, Ottawa couple -- in the house where they were staying and held them hostage during a 90-minute ordeal.

The man allegedly tied up the victims, indecently assaulted the woman, removed a large amount of cash and helped himself to food and drink before leaving the home of Mr. Oliver's wife and Bermuda Telephone Company vice-president Linda Oliver.

Police spokesman P.c. Gary Venning said yesterday: "A team of detectives have been working around the clock on the case which resulted in the arrest of the suspect late this morning.

"A file is being prepared for the Attorney General and the offender will be appearing in court shortly.'' A source said last night that the man could be appearing in court as early as today.

The incident happened at Sunshine Cottage on Middle Road in Southampton where the couple -- an engineer and federal government employee -- were spending their first visit to the Island as guests of the Olivers.

The trio returned to Canada on Wednesday but did not speak to Canadian media who were waiting for them to arrive in Halifax.

Fears have been raised that the robbery -- which comes on the heels of the murder of Ontario schoolgirl Rebecca Middleton a month ago -- could hurt the Island's tourism industry.

There have been reports that the Canadian government were considering slapping a travel advisory in place to discourage Canadians from visiting Bermuda.

But Tourism Minister David Dodwell moved quickly to dispel fears during a press conference yesterday.

"The Canadian government has no intention of issuing a travel advisory to warn their people against visiting Bermuda,'' he said, adding that it would take time before the impact on Canadians travelling to the Island was seen as their business was concentrated primarily in the November to March period.

But Mr. Dodwell said he was worried about the impact any attack could have on visitor arrivals -- as should all Bermudians.

And he warned that it was very difficult to overcome the negative effect of these events with marketing -- no matter how much money was spent.

"Yes, it bothers me that something like this could happen,'' he said. "It makes the Ministry of Tourism's job that much harder.'' Customers, he said, looked at safety and security as one of their top five reasons for visiting a country.

"Bermudians must now perform as a Country and respond to an Island-wide challenge,'' he said. "We must improve our product, especially our service, facilities, entertainment and attractions.''