Air visitor arrivals fell in the third quarter of 2015, however, total visitor arrivals increased year-on-year according to the Department of Statistics.

While the Department reported a 2.2 per cent decline in air arrivals in the third quarter, the total number of visitors increased from 248,040 to 258,735 with cruise ship visitors taken into account. According to figures released by the Bermuda Tourism Authority last year the number of visitors arriving to vacation increased slightly during the quarter, but a decline in the number of business visitors and those visiting friends and family on the island caused an overall reduction in air arrivals.

The department also stated that the estimated total expenditure by visitors fell by just over $10 million when compared with the same period in 2014, while the number of people employed by Bermuda’s hotels had increased during the quarter. “At the end of July 2015, there were 2,649 workers employed within the hotel industry,” the department stated. “The level of employment increased by 164 employees, representing 94 Bermudians and 70 non-Bermudians.

“Hotel gross receipts totalled $97.9 million. This represented an increase of 1.9 per cent, or $1.8 million. The rise in receipts was due to increases in room, food and alcohol sales.”

The department also revealed that the importation of goods had declined by 12.5 per cent compared with the previous year, falling to $221.8 million.

“The decline was due mainly to a 64.2 per cent drop in fuel imports,” the department stated. “The value of imports for the commodity group of food, beverages and tobacco decreased 5.3 per cent and imports of finished equipment decreased 0.9 per cent. In contrast, imports from all other commodity groups increased.

“Imports from Bermuda’s largest trading partner, the United States, fell 16.8 per cent to $143.9 million during the third quarter.

“Imports from Canada also declined. In contrast, the value of imports increased from the United Kingdom, Caribbean and all other countries.

“Overseas declarations by residents increased 2.5 per cent to $15.9 million. Higher levels of overseas spending were declared for five of the nine commodity groupings with the largest percentage increase of 7.5 per cent reported for the jewellery and watches category.”