Not only were there fewer visitors than last September, those who did come did not stay as long.

Government said yesterday that air arrivals for September -- totalling 33,212 -- were down 5.4 percent over 1995, with air arrivals from Bermuda's primary market, the US, down 6.3 percent. Air arrivals from Canada plunged 12 percent.

Arrivals from Europe and the UK were up 7.88 percent and 4.07 percent respectively.

The statistics will be of little surprise to those in the hospitality industry who, since 1994, have seen bookings fall by 46,208, and had suffered combined losses of $41 million in the eight years up 1995.

Last week, the Bermuda Hotel Association said its members had reported an average occupancy of 60.3 percent for September, declining 3.8 percent over last year and down 11.3 percent over 1994.

Government's figures paint an even bleaker picture; average "bednights'' -- the total number of nights visitor spend in Bermuda -- are down 7.1 percent over 1995. Large hotels suffered a decline of 6.7 percent, cottage colonies were down five percent, housekeeping cottages fell 11.7 percent, and private clubs were off 12.6 percent.

Only guest houses emerged as a big winner, racking up an enviable increase of 45.4 percent.

Bednights are considered to be a better indicator of the health of the tourism industry than raw arrival figures, as they give a more accurate indication of visitor spending for food, lodging and in shops.

The downward trend is also reflected in the average length of stay, now at 5.5 days, falling slightly by 0.1 percent from 1995.

For the year to date, Government said arrivals are still up, although the September slowdown is sure to eat into the gains.

For the year to date, the number of air arrivals, 313,598, was up 2.8 percent over last year.

But bednights for the year so far are down 1.6 percent, with large hotels reporting a decline of 3.5 percent.

Arrivals by cruise ship, 155,767, were ahead of 1995 by 6.8 percent for the year to date.

Overall this year, 470,237 visitors, 4.3 percent more in the period January to September 1995, have let themselves go in Bermuda.