recent upsurge in visitors.

The amount shoppers forked out in February plunged 4.2 percent on last year.

And, accounting for the 2.8 percent inflation rate, the decline was 6.8 percent.

Petrol and vehicle sales plummeted, with receipts down 10.9 percent over the last 12 months. It followed a poor January.

And alcohol sales slumped 17.8 percent year-over-year, with stores reporting less business in February. Grocery stores too experienced a slight downturn, with sales dipping 0.3 percent.

Gross turnover in the retail sector for February was $28.6 million.

Meanwhile, shoppers continued to hunt abroad for bargains.

Overseas spending soared 17.8 percent, with people declaring goods worth $1.19 million.

Mr. Robert Rego, former chairman of the retail section of the Chamber of Commerce, expressed slight disappointment at the figures.

The retail sales resurgence would probably take longer than expected, he said.

January and February had been disappointing months for traders, although April appeared somewhat better.

Mr. Rego, vice-president of the Chamber, said the rise in overseas spending could be part explained by shoppers being more honest in declaring goods bought.

"The key to an improvement is to get tourists to spend more,'' said Mr. Rego.

There had been a late surge in visitor spending in the last quarter of 1992, but the trend needed to continue.

President of H.A.& E. Smith, Mr. Henry Vesey, warned against reading too much into the figures. And he said he was not surprised by the statistics.

"You don't get out of a recession in 24 hours. Until the United States economy picks up you can expect a little bit of up and down in the sales.

"This month does not look too bad, but everybody is going through a difficult period with negative cash flows.'' Mr. Vesey said a clearer picture would emerge later in the year, when figures could be compared over a longer period.