LONDON -- The organisers behind Bermuda Marketplace are set to abandon the two-day event in London and go on the road next year.

The news came yesterday from the Tourism Department's top man in the UK, the Director of Tourism for Europe, Ian Parker.

He and his team were considering changes, Mr. Parker said, despite the focussed travel show's success in its third year.

"In my view, maybe next year, we are considering a road show. We will spend just one day in London and then possibly go up to Manchester.

"We need to get out to the regions,'' explained Mr. Parker. "We are doing a lot of business in the North and business is increasing in Scotland.

"We need to take Bermuda to the regions, not try and force the regions to come to Bermuda.'' Mr. Parker stressed that the Bermuda-only travel trade show, which wrapped up last night, had gone well.

"The exhibitors are saying `yeah, it's been real good today'. We had probably about 50-odd people through here today,'' he reported from the event's location at The Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge.

"We had a further 40 or so yesterday,'' he continued, "so all in all we had about 90 people here and since all they were talking about is Bermuda the whole time, that's terrific.'' And this despite industrial action which hamstrung the UK capital's subway system.

On Sunday evening members of London's subway union went on a 48-hour strike to protest working conditions and this resulted in some 16 stations being forced to close around the city.

Mr. Parker put the absentees from the event down to the tube strike. Some 30 local exhibitors, including representatives from the Island's hotels, airlines, destination management companies and the Chamber of Commerce, attended the event. There they were able to meet with representatives from the 33 different tour operators who sell packages to Bermuda in the UK and with some of the 165 specialist travel agents who sell the Island to potential visitors.

The Reefs general manager Neal Stephens said: "It went very well. Today was very busy.'' He reported that he expected an increase in business from his conversations with the different agents and operators the property was already dealing with.

"Some operators we have business from already and I know that will increase.'' Harmony Club president William Griffiths, whose all-inclusive resort in Paget gets about 25 percent of its business from the UK, said the 48-hour tourism event was very important for him.

"UK business has been growing significantly over the last three years,'' he pointed out.

"All-inclusive resorts are extremely popular over here. The British know what it is all about and because of that I think I am able to capture a significant portion of the UK business which goes to Bermuda.'' Stonington Beach general manager Esan Frederick, who earlier told The Royal Gazette that his aim at the two day event was to recapture the UK business his hotel had enjoyed under previous management, said the experience was very positive.

"I think I have strengthened the relationships we had with certain tour operators.'' Also at the event were representatives from the Chamber of Commerce including Vicki Hamshere and Restaurant and Nightclub division chairman Tommy Gallagher who noted: "It is important to remember that the Bermuda experience does not start and finish with hoteliers.'' Mr. Gallagher said the event had paid off because it had given them a chance to deal with some travel agents' perceptions that Bermuda was an expensive destination when it came to dining out, particularly.

"In a sense we were able to show them that we have a wide range from affordable prices to expensive fine dining, but the consumer has a choice.'' This argument was strengthened by Mrs. Hamshere who is the author of the reference guide Dining Out in Bermuda, which showed the full range of dining options available on the Island.

Mr. Gallagher said a major concern amongst the agents he spoke to was the issue of value for money.

A number of visitors to Bermuda from the UK were high-end, discerning travellers who were willing to pay high prices as long as they also got the appropriate service and value for money. "We need to be able to offer the best we can to this type of client.''