Air arrivals are continuing to climb with 82,819 visitors flying in during the third quarter this year.

That’s an increase of 2.4 percent compared to the same period in 2012.

Less than 80,000 arrived in 2010 but, according to the Department of Statistics’ quarterly bullet released yesterday, there’s been a steady rise since.

Figures show that that 80,852 people arrived a year ago — and almost 2,000 more this year.

That’s partly attributed to the 1,461 more passengers from the United Kingdom — an increase of 20.4 percent.

Visitors from all other countries rose 25.6 percent while arrivals from the United States, Bermuda’s largest tourist market, fractionally increased 0.6 percent compared to the third quarter of 2012.

In contrast, air arrivals from Canada dropped by 12.2 percent or close to 1,000 fewer visitors.

The Department noted those figures were reflected in the reduction of flights from the Canadian market.

An analysis of visitors revealed that housekeeping accommodations saw the largest relative increase of 13.6 percent. The number of guests staying at private homes rose by 11.8 percent.

But there was a worrying figure for resort hotels — a dip for 1.8 percent in reservation bookings.

Visitors staying at the smaller hotels increased 1.4 percent while the occupancy level at guest houses fractionally increased 0.4 percent.

The statistics show that expenditure by air arrival passengers spent an estimated $120.2 million during the third quarter of 2013, representing

an increase of $1 million or 0.8 percent.

Visitors reported spending 26.1 percent more on shopping, entertainment and other services such as recreational and leisure services.

This translated to an injection of $6.5 million to the economy. However, expenditure on accommodations and food declined 5.8 percent.

Cruise arrivals in the third quarter of 2013 dropped by 12.1 percent to 157,373 passengers.

This decline was attributed to 20 fewer cruise ship calls compared to the same quarter in 2012.

Expenditure by cruise visitors on local goods and services, including entertainment, souvenirs, sightseeing, sports activities and transportation

declined to $33.7 million. This reflected an 11.1 percent fall in spending level or $4.2 million less year-over-year.

Hotel gross receipts were up $1.2 million reaching a level of $81.2 million. Sales revenue earned by resort hotels increased 1.4 percent to $72 million, primarily

due to a modest increase in room sales.

Cottage colonies experienced the largest relative growth in sales revenue of 4.1 percent. Other guest accommodations registered a 2.8 percent rise in sales

receipts while sales revenue earned by small hotels increased 2.4 percent.