The number of vacationers arriving on Bermuda's shores by air this August fell by more than nine percent according to recent statistics released by Premier Ewart Brown.

Leisure travellers visiting family and friends fell by 6.7 percent from 5,292 last year to 4,937 the same month this year.

While business travellers experienced the largest jump in numbers up 63.7 percent this August — 1,965 more than the same period last year.

In a press release from the Premier's Press Secretary Glenn Jones yesterday, he said the increase in business travellers, however, was overall "on par" with 2007's numbers showing a 3.7 percent increase so far this year.

Leaving overall air arrivals for August this year down by just 1.2 percent from 37,441 air arrivals in August last year versus 37,007 arrivals for the same month this year.

Yesterday Premier and Minister of Tourism and Transport Ewart Brown said he had expected far worse numbers and was relieved by only a 1.2 percent dip.

"We expected a double-digit percentage decline given the economic downturn in the United States last month that ultimately developed into a full-blown economic crisis," he said.

"We never like to see a decline, but one percent is a bit of a relief — especially following August 2007, a hugely successful month for the industry."

Stays in commercial properties, however, were down by 17.3 percent this past month compared to August last year.

According to Mr. Jones 23,034 people stayed in commercial properties in August this year.

While 27,851 persons stayed in a commercial property during the same month last year.

Visitors staying in private homes, however, jumped by 46.1 percent from the same period last year representing 4,390 travellers.

The biggest drop in air visitor numbers was experienced in the American market, which declined by nine percent — a total of 2,650 less visitors.

Canada, the United Kingdom, and the European Union all brought more visitors to the Island with 815, 567 and 480 more this August then during the same period last year respectively.

Last night, Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister of Tourism, Kim Swan took aim at the statistics released saying the reliance on business travellers to pad the numbers was misleading.

"It is deeply telling that the first visitor type the Premier refers to in his statement is business travellers whom, he reports, were up 63 percent compared to the same month in 2007," he said.

"Business travellers have nothing to do with Bermuda Tourism's spending to attract vacationers to the island. Business travellers come here to conduct business and their decisions to fly here have nothing to do with Bermuda's multimillion dollar tourism marketing efforts.

"On this point, it is interesting to note that the Premier's statement makes no mention of the word "tourism" outside of his title as Minister of Tourism.

"The title of his press statement is about air arrivals, not "visitor air arrivals" or "tourism air arrivals". Why is that?

"The answer could be that the vacationers who flew to Bermuda during the month of August were down 9.2 percent compared to August 2007. Cruise arrivals during the month were down more than 31 percent.

"We want people to have a clear understanding of Bermuda's tourism situation. Today's press statement by the Premier is fundamentally misleading."