continuing a long trend in losses.

Yesterday the Bermuda Hotel Association released occupancy figures for September which reflect a worse picture than the recorded number of arrivals.

In addition the Association also released figures recording the number of room nights -- or the amount of hotel rooms booked -- which are behind 1995 and more than 40,000 below 1994.

Association President Stephen Barker said: "Seven out of the last eight years up to 1995 produced losses overall for the eight major hotels.

"It does not look like showing a reversal in that trend this year. Up to 1995 the combined loss for the major hotels was $41 million. This is a distressing trend.'' The figures show hotel and cottage colonies achieved a 60.3 percent occupancy figure for September, 3.8 percent down on the same month last year and 11.3 percent down on September 1994.

Forecasts for bookings for October, November and December are also significantly down on the same months last year and in 1994.

The most disturbing trend for hotels, however, is in the number of room nights which, according to Mr. Barker, reflect a worse picture than visitor arrival figures because of a decline in the average length of stay.

For the nine month period up the end of September room nights sold was 553,902 -- behind 1995 and 46,208 behind 1994 for the same nine months.

Mr. Barker added: "Room nights sold are the important figures that somehow do not get properly looked at when we talk about visitor arrival figures.

"It is room nights that generate and create revenue for the hotels.'' Length of stay could be affected by the number of business travellers, said Mr. Barker, but there was also a trend in the US towards shorter breaks.

But he added: "There should be no mistake that these are the facts and it is not a pretty picture.

"It is unfortunate that people have taken so long to recognise that there is a problem, but it is encouraging to see that there now seem to be efforts to properly analyse the areas where improvements are possible.

"Hopefully there will be some effort channelled into improving the overall product.''