figures.

A total of 102,831 people arrived here between January 1 and May 2 -- a 6.8 percent rise on last year's total of 97,187.

Air arrivals went up 9.5 percent from 84,866 to 92,914.

But the number of cruise ship passengers plummeted 19 percent, from 12,200 to 9,876.

Latest weekly figures are also brighter, with 4.2 percent more people arriving between April 26 and May 2. This is an increase from 12,889 in 1992 to 13,429, a difference of 540.

Airplane passengers rose by 19.8 percent to 10,150, while cruise ship visitors dropped by 25.1 percent to 3,264.

Of the cruise ships, The Meridian had the highest occupancy level, with 91.8 percent. Behind were Dreamward and the Statendam with 87.8 and 87.7 percent respectively.