Bermuda's air arrivals rebounded 29 percent in the fourth quarter after taking a severe hit a year prior with visitor numbers plummeting following widespread property damage from Hurricane Fabian.

Government figures released this week showed that air arrivals were up by more than 12,000 in the fourth quarter of last year compared to 2003.

The recovery was revealed in the Government's quarterly statistics in a bulletin pointing out that the "increase represented a recovery in air arrivals following the aftermath of Hurricane Fabian (September 5) which severely hampered tourist travel to the Island during the fourth quarter of 2003".

However, cruise ship arrivals during the period didn't see the same rebound, actually declining by about 20 percent with 27,739 passengers arriving compared to 33,449 during the same period in 2003.

As a result, estimates of cruise ship visitor spending fell $1.2 million below the $8.3 million reached in the fourth quarter of 2003.

For the year, cruise ship arrivals fell 8.8 percent but 2003 was said to be a record year performance for cruise ship arrivals with a total of 482,673 arrivals compared to 477,475 last year.

In 2004, Bermuda's total air arrivals increased a marginal 5.9 percent, a lacklustre improvement on the depressing results in 2003 again largely because of Hurricane Fabian.

Year on year, 271,617 passengers jetted into the Island last year compared to 256,576 arrivals during 2003.

While air arrivals rebounded both in the fourth quarter and for the year, the statistics bulletin pointed out that total air arrivals in 2004 were still short of levels reached in 2001 and 2002.

Although down by less than five percent on 2002's numbers, the actual difference between 2004's total number of visitors flying in stood at 11,000 fewer air arrivals than in 2002.

The numbers last year were also down on 2001's figures but less significantly.

Fourth quarter estimated tourist expenditure was up from $54.5 million in 2003 to $68.3 million last year.

Residents meanwhile increased their trips abroad with 44,763 jetting off the Island in the fourth quarter ? an increase of 4.6 percent over the 42,809 trips taken in 2003. For the year, Bermuda residents took a total of 156,200 trips, a 9.9 percent increase over the 142,096 trips a year prior.