Statistics Show 6.6% Drop In Air Arrivals

October 5, 2012

Air arrivals and bookings at tourist accommodations fell by 6.6% during the second quarter of 2012, according to the Quarterly Bulletin of Statistics.

The report said: “Air arrivals during the second quarter of 2012 fell by 6.6 per cent when compared to the same quarter of 2011. A total of 75,186 visitors arrived by air to the Island, down from the 80,462 that visited in 2011. This decrease was attributed to a 12 per cent decline in business travellers and a 13 per cent decline in leisure travellers.

“Arrivals from the United States, Bermuda’s largest tourist market, decreased 7.8 per cent when compared to the second quarter of 2011. A total of 56,447 U.S. visitors travelled to the Island compared with 61,232 visitors in the same period of 2011. Fewer air arrivals were recorded from the United Kingdom (-7.0 per cent) and from Canada (-1.9 per cent) during the quarter. In contrast, arrivals from all other countries were up by 3.2 per cent.

“The decline in air arrivals resulted in a 6.6 per cent drop in bookings at tourist accommodations. Guest houses registered the strongest decrease, falling 32.3 per cent. Occupancy at resort hotels fell by 10.1 per cent while visitors staying at housekeeping accommodations also declined by 9.0 per cent. The number of guests staying at small hotels & cottage colonies and private homes declined by 3.2 per cent and 1.4 per cent, respectively.”

The full report is below [PDF here]:

Read More About

Category: All, News

Comments (22)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. Sandgrownan says:

    Fewer friends and family of ex-pats…..

  2. Family Man says:

    Bermuda; so much more … vacancies.

  3. ((((SIMPLE MATH)))) says:

    Why would I travel to a island and pay $400 a night hotel, when I can go Jamaica and pay $125 in a all inclusive per night. Bermuda has out priced itself no ad, Plp, ubp, or Oba can fix this. Until the World economy gets better people will not be able to afford high end destinations.

    • Bullseye says:

      And empty planes only raises the price per seat or diminishes the schedule.

      • Soooo says:

        Yes and No…. A large number of flights to Bermuda are covered by a minimum head count agreement with Government. So if the plane is empty WE PAY….

        The only way hotel prices are going to drop in Bermuda is to lower the wages of the hotel workers.. Hotels in Bermuda work on one of the lowest profit margins in the industry and are still high on the price scale.

      • EXPress says:

        Air Canada is reducing frequency to 5 days a week starting very soon, will go through the winter and possibly spring! usually all they do is a few no fly days in Jan and Feb…….

        More to come!

      • Karma Chameleon?? says:

        The problem is greater than we think! Even if the new Tourism campaign is a huge success and people want to come, where will they stay? People don’t fly to destinations if there is no place to stay! No place to sleep = no booking on plane. Right now we have the two Fairmont Properties, Cocoa Reef, Grotto Bay, Rosemont, Rosedon, The Reefs and a handful of other small properties. No more Club Med, Elbow Beach, Sonesta, Marriott Castle Harbour, Lantana, Belmont, Ariel Sands, Pink Beach, Coral Beach, Coral Island, Horizons, Palm Reef, Flatts Inlet Hotel, Banana Beach, Newstead etc.? If they can’t sleep here? They can’t visit.

    • say it like it is. says:

      I have been saying this very thing for years now. You have to follow the market with trends and prices that compare, and I know Bermuda is expensive, but who can afford those prices? I wouldn;t come here either.

  4. I have a great idea!
    Let’s build some hotels!

    • Mike says:

      Maybe a cheaper hotel or bed and breakfast. Most of the guest houses and bed & breakfast here are the same as a regular hotel per night.

  5. Zombie Apocalypse says:

    Don’t worry. Before the end of the year two new hotels will be started, the Park Hyatt and the one in Hamilton.

    • Triangle Drifter says:

      MMMMMMM…..that koolaid tastes well. Gimme some more. How about Sonesta, Lantana, Ariel Sands, Pink Beach, Coral Beach, Horizons, Newstead etc.?

      • More Confused says:

        You both left out Morgan’s Point, Great Atlantic and Tucker’s Point fractionals. Wow, and the PLP complain no one has ideas and solutions!

      • EXPress says:

        Harmony Hall, Loughlands

  6. Leaving soon says:

    “And in other news, the sales of one-way flights departing Bermuda are up, way up and show no sign of a decrease in the future!”

    C’ya PLOP!

  7. Simon Says says:

    Sad to say it will only get worse, nothing is being done to stimulate the economy.”building hotels” is not the answer if prices remain high not to mention that’ll take 4-5 yrs to build and so many people are still out of jobs.I guess this is the repercussions of driving the prices of everything up then saying buy bermuda!SMH

  8. Joonya says:

    This cuntry is in serious denial due to statements such as “the economy has begun to recover”
    Play time is over, bring in the cleaners…..NEXT!!!

  9. Opressed says:

    Why come here pay all kinds of outdoor money, eat lousy food with piss poor service, and no nightlife? I can go to Vegas, something to do 24/7, eat like the finest food, and stay in 5 star hotels for little or nothing?

  10. Shit Happens says:

    How about lowering plane ticket you don’t any food now day’s.

  11. Plane travel to Bermuda is priced WAY too high. It is cheaper to go to other islands from the East coast.