Tourists who travelled to Bermuda via air during peak summer months this year, spent $5 million less than visitors in 2008.

Air arrivals to Bermuda over the same period in 2007 spent $36m more, according to information released by the Department of Statistics this week.

The report also revealed a decline in the number of air visitors in the third quarter of 2009 when there were 79,810 tourists compared to 84,463 in 2008 and 97,875 in 2007.

And while cruise ship arrivals were up for the quarter in 2009 with 141,828 arrivals an increase of 27,595 over 2008 they were down by 33,320 compared with 2007.

Revenue for the hotel industry also showed a decline compared to the same period in 2007 and 2008.

Visitors spent $72.8m in hotels and guest houses in the third quarter of 2009 a decrease of $13.8 million from 2008 and $26 million from 2007.

Residents, however increased overseas spending. A total of $19.5m was spent in the third quarter of 2009 compared with $19m in 2008 and $18.4m in 2007.

The majority of money was spent on clothes and footwear.