Despite the extra influx of visitors diverted to Bermuda's shores on Tuesday, Hamilton retailers yesterday said they do not expect to see a boom in the local retail business.

Several flights from Europe stopped in Bermuda to offload several hundreds of passengers.

And some visitors who spoke to The Royal Gazette yesterday said they were too "depressed" to consider a shopping spree.

Vice president of sales at Trimingham Brothers, re extra visitors in Bermuda.

"The circumstances are very different," he said.

"Our Sonesta Beach store was very busy, but that was because people were stocking up on necessities.

"People were certainly not pleasure shopping.

"The mood is just not there."

However there were some tourists that said shopping helped to keep their minds off of what was going on in the States.

But their minds were never far from the reality of the devastation on the East Coast.

"I'm only shopping because my girl is shopping," said Boston resident Ray Gibson.

"But you feel somewhat helpless and we are very disturbed by it. There was no need to kill innocent people."

Most retailers spoken to said they hoped business would pick up as the week went along, but admitted that it was likely that visitors as well as locals alike would be holding on tightly to their purse strings.