A drop in leisure air arrivals last October is disappointing, despite a rise in visitor spending - according to Shadow Minster of Tourism.

Although overall air arrivals rose by 3.4 percent in October 2007 the number of people who cited their reason for coming to Bermuda as 'vacation' fell by five percent compared to October 2006.

Shadow Tourism Minister Kim Swan, who won the St. George's West seat in the December election, said Government was not being fully transparent with tourism figures.

"Yesterday's Royal Gazette report on tourism arrival figures suggests the Government is again trying to hide the true health of Bermuda's tourism industry," he said. "The one fact in the newspaper report not subjected to distortion is that the number of leisure visitors in October fell 5.4 percent.

"But that is where clarity ends." Mr. Swan said that the reduced number of leisure visitors is a disappointment, contrary to what the Premier's press secretary said.

The Department of Tourism released in-depth air arrival figures earlier this week.

They showed that October 2007 saw an increase of air arrivals by 3.4 percent, to 26,582, compared to October 2006.

But the number of people coming solely for vacation dropped by 5.4 percent, to 14,564.

More people flew in to see friends or family in October 2007 than in 2006. This year the figure jumped by 22.7 percent.

There was also an increase of people flying in for business, 2007 saw 20.6 percent more business air arrivals in October.

Yesterday the Premier's press secretary said that although leisure visitors were down, spending by visitors was up 34 percent, an estimated $17 million, in September and October.

He added visitor spending was "more important" than arrivals figures. But Mr. Swan said the Government should not overlook the drop in leisure visitors, saying that "tourism to succeed requires people," to fill hotels and shop.

"Numbers matter. To downplay their importance betrays naiveté at best, deception at worst. Even though the report was based on the October result, the press secretary said the drop in numbers was not disappointing because visitors spent more in September and October than they did during the same period in 2006.

"To suddenly introduce September into the equation confuses the picture and nullifies any point that can be made about October.

" Mr. Swan added that because Bermuda held two major tourism events in October 2007 the drop in leisure arrival figures was "particularly disappointing".

During October Bermuda hosted the four-day Bermuda Music Festival and the PGA Grand Slam

"The low monthly total lends credence to eyewitness observations that there did not seem to be many overseas visitors at either event, particularly the Music Festival," he said.