months are up, figures released yesterday show.

And final figures for August show a lower overall occupancy was achieved than in 1997, although it was over the figure reached in 1996.

Bermuda Hotel Association president Dennis Tucker reported on August's overall occupancy and projections for occupancies over the next three months.

"Hotel and cottage colonies combined achieved a final occupancy of 75.4 percent for the month of August which is 0.2 points below the level attained in August, 1996, and 1.5 points ahead of 1996,'' said Mr. Tucker.

Tourism Minister David Dodwell noted that the figure was "essentially about the same'' as last year's and more than 1996.

Meanwhile bookings for September and October stood at 67.4 and 62.3 percent respectively as of September 1.

These were both above the bookings reached at the same time in 1997 and 1996 which stood at 62.4 and 58 percent respectively for September and 60.6 and 54.5 percent respectively for October.

DAILY FLIGHT IS NEW BA GOAL FLY Daily flight is new BA goal Local British Airways officials are hoping that a recent massive increase in business will lead to a daily flight from the UK.

BA and Department of Tourism staff are delighted at the rise in UK air arrivals, and local BA manager Philip Troake has set out his stall to establish a seven day a week service.

Mr. Troake was speaking after the latest tourism statistics showed a 36 percent increase in air arrivals in August from the UK compared to the same period last year.