off over the next two months.

Figures released this week by the Bermuda Hotel Association show that the final occupancy rate for April for hotels and cottage colonies was 64.7 percent, 2.4 percent up from April last year.

According to the figures, occupancy for May is 78.2 percent, compared to 77.7 percent for the same month in 1996.

However the Association is predicting a fall-off in business in June and July.

As of May 1, 56 percent of rooms have been booked, compared to 57.6 booked as of May 1 last year and 65.5 percent booked from May 1 in 1995.

So far 45.3 percent of rooms have been booked for July, compared to 41.6 percent at the same time last year and 49.1 percent in 1995.