Bermuda is bucking the trend when it comes to overseas travel, with residents taking 2,877 more trips for the first quarter of 2008 compared to the same period last year.

The Quarterly Bulletin of Statistics for this year's first quarter revealed that Bermuda residents took a total of 37,566 trips abroad, with the US still the top destination.

This was allied to a 22.7 percent rise in overseas spending, with returning residents declaring an estimated $6.6 million spent on clothing and footwear, a 20.9 percent increase year-on-year.

But globally, and in the US in particular, businesses and individuals have been making cut-backs on travel expenditure, as many American carriers reportedly slashed their number of flights, including American Airlines, Continental and JetBlue, largely due to rising fuel costs.

Yesterday's edition of The Royal Gazette revealed that, according to Finance Minister Paula Cox, 29,083 holiday excursions were taken by residents in the first quarter of 2008, suggesting that business travel makes up a big part of trips abroad.

The US proved to be the most popular location for travellers, up 10.8 percent on 2007, representing 2,586 extra trips compared to the same quarter last year.

Similarly, travel to the UK was also higher, increasing 4.8 percent.

However, in contrast residents made 141 fewer visits to Canada during the quarter, a 3.9 percent drop in the number of trips taken and the fourth consecutive quarter of declines in travel to Canada.

The price of airfare to Canada has increased, with Air Canada having the monopoly on direct flights and fuel costs and other surcharges on the rise.

As an example, according to the Expedia website yesterday, a non-stop return flight from Bermuda to Toronto's Pearson International Airport departing on Friday and returning on Sunday costs $1,391 with Air Canada, while going with US Airways via Philadelphia costs $741, Continental through Newark $803, and American Airlines via New York en route $1005.

Vacation trips continued to be the predominant purpose of overseas travel by Bermuda residents, making up 77 percent or 2,400 more visits of the total figure.

Trips made for other reasons such as medical, sports or educational purposes were also up 21.2 percent over the quarter.

Clothing and footwear purchases amounted to 43 percent of the total value of goods declared, while consumer outlays were higher for electronic and photographic equipment (up $332,000), computer hardware and software (up $245,000), and toys and sporting goods (up $168,000).