Premier Ewart Brown told CNN's top business travel journalist yesterday that July's air arrivals figures were on par with the same period in 2008.

The Island recorded 82,806 visitors in July of last year, 36,756 of whom flew here.

Dr. Brown's interview with Richard Quest, host of 'Quest Means Business', came on the heels of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation releasing its latest statistics.

These show Bermuda has seen one of the largest percentage drops in air arrivals between January and June compared to other Caribbean markets who have reported for the same period. Dr. Brown told the CNN International host that the Island is standing up well in the current economy.

The Premier added that the Island's second quarter arrivals figures down 11 percent were better than the first quarter, which were down 22 percent.

"I've just got some numbers which indicate that we are on par with last July," he stated.

Dr. Brown said hotel deals, as well as the fact that air fares have not risen, have helped the Island's tourism industry.

While on the internationally watched show, which used stock footage of the Island from the 70s and 80s, Dr. Brown said he hoped a low-cost airline from the UK would soon be on the books. He added that Virgin Airlines, owned by Sir Richard Branson, was not interested in flying to Bermuda.

July's arrivals figures have yet to be publicly released but the year-to-date figures, which cover arrivals from January to June, have revealed air arrivals are down 17 percent, cruise arrivals are down nearly six percent and overall arrivals are down 11 percent.

Out of nine other Caribbean countries who have reported their air arrival figures for the same period, Bermuda has seen the second largest percentage drop.

While Bermuda's air arrivals were down 17 percent Belize only saw an eight percent drop and Puerto Rico saw a 5.9 percent drop.

St. Vincent saw the worst air arrivals drop, down 17.4 percent. They had 35,285 fly to their Island during the six-month period while Bermuda had 1078,214. Grenada also saw 16 percent less air arrivals this year and St. Maarten reported a 12 percent reduction.

However it wasn't all bad news for the Caribbean. Guyana and Jamaica saw a 6.5 percent and 3.4 percent increase respectively, in air arrivals.

For many of Bermuda's Caribbean competitors the first six months of the year are their high season. Bermuda's high season typically runs from May to October.