There was a 2.4 per cent increase in holidaying visitor arrivals for the Island in 2015, according to the Bermuda Tourism Authority.

That increase was driven by a 4.2 per cent rise in cruise arrivals. Tourism air arrivals fell by 1.2 per cent, moderately offset by the decrease of 51,090 commercial airline seats.

Canada’s weak dollar and the poor economy pushed down arrivals from that country by 17 per cent over the previous year’s figures, which also drove air arrivals into the negative figures.

United States visitors were up by 0.5 per cent, and British visitors rose by 9 per cent, which Bill Hanbury, CEO of the BTA, said positioned the Island well for 2016.

Meanwhile, cruise visitor spending rose 29 per cent over 2014, while air visitor spending fell 6 per cent.

A 10 per cent cruise visitor increase is forecast for this year, which will include more small cruise calls on Hamilton and St George’s.

The authority also reports a positive impact on visitor numbers from the 2015 Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series, and the upcoming America’s Cup 2017.

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