Visitor arrivals are up 5.5 percent while air arrivals increased 3.9 percent in the second quarter, according to figures released by Minister of Tourism and Transport Ewart Brown yesterday.

There were 178,113 visitors to the Island between April and June compared to 168,875 during the same period a year ago.

Dr. Brown said the six months of 2005 have surpassed monthly totals from 2004, with the year to date showing a healthy increase of 13,414 visitors, or 6.5 percent.

Air travellers pumped between $84.4 million and $112.3 million into the Island?s economy.

Dr. Brown said there were 82,773 cruise passengers, or an increase of 8.4 percent, visiting the Island during the second quarter, compared to 76,365 a year ago, the highest Q2 total ever.

The total was boosted by the calling of Royal Caribbean?s and which brought upwards of 3,000 visitors to the port of Dockyard during the second quarter.

These mega-cruise ships are booked to capacity for the remainder of the summer and if the trend continues, there will be record number of cruise ship visitors in 2005.

Dr. Brown also revealed that during the second quarter, 98 percent of all leisure visitors surveyed were mostly, or completely satisfied with their Bermuda vacation.

He added that load factors on American Airlines in June on the new route to Miami continued at an above average level of 78 percent and the flight has increased from two to five times weekly.

Dr. Brown said all airlines were performing well and a weekend flight from Chicago a few weeks ago arrived with a 100 percent load factor.

Hotel occupancy levels remained healthy for the second quarter with the overall total exceeding 76 percent.

With third quarter projections low, Dr. Brown said the Ministry and its hotel partners are running a special promotion.

Resort hotels showed an increase during the second quarter with 46,781 visitors compared to 39,414 during the same period last year.

However, all commercial properties showed an increase of 4.6 percent and complete satisfaction with the quality of commercial accommodation remains high at 70 percent ? an increase of one percent from last year.

However, when it came to personal safety in the overall ?Bermuda experience? only 60 percent of all visitors felt safe during the second quarter, compared to 74 percent last year.

The Ministry raised the bar for visitors this year with the launch of the Summer Series of entertainment events designed to enhance the visitor experience.

The Flatts Village Festival, Tony n? Tina?s Wedding, The Admiral?s Feast and the Gombey Carnival Beach Fete augment St. George?s Market and Harbour Nights.