Tourist arrivals up nearly 5% (UPDATE)

A total of 585,266 visitors came to Bermuda in 2010, up from 559,048 visitors in 2009.

And while there was a decline in air arrivals with a drop of 1.5 per cent, visitors stayed longer.

Tourism Minister Patrice Minors said: “The average length of stay for the year increased to 6.21 nights up from 6.09 nights in 2009.

“Visitors choosing to stay in commercial properties also increased to 4.94 nights from 4.84 nights.

‘This increase in stay attributed to an increase in hotel occupancy.”

Meanwhile, Government’s contract with GlobalHue, the Department of Tourism’s advertising agency has ended.

The Minister said the contract will end April 1 and the agency did not try to extend it.

Cruise arrivals were up just over nine per cent.

Mrs. Minors said: “Exceeding projections, cruise visitors totaled 347,931 for 2010, a boost of over 29,000 visitors year over year.

‘This is a direct result of the additional 14 cruise ship calls for that period.”

The Minister said the increase in visitors was a “direct result” of the active year with cruise ships and yachts.

“The Newport to Bermuda Yacht race helped usher yacht visitation to an increase of nine per cent.

‘The race alone led a total of 189 yachts to the Island in the month of June.

“The year ended with 5,073 yachtsmen sailing to the Island, an increase of 419 yacht visitors during this period.”

Mrs. Minors also said 72 per cent of Bermuda’s air arrivals were from the U.S. followed by 13 percent from Canada, which is an increase with WestJet flying from Toronto.