numbers of visitors coming by plane down to pre-1972 levels.

In statistics released yesterday by the Bermuda Department of Tourism, the total number of air visitors last year was 368,756 -- a reduction of 2.97 percent from 1997.

That is the lowest number since 1972 when 338,000 people visited by air, a record for that time, and not even near to the 1980 high water mark of 495,000.

The report claims the main factor pushing the numbers of air arrivals down is the 4.38 percent fall in air arrivals from the US.

As a whole, only 289,980 people came to Bermuda from the US via airplane last year.

In 1998, 562,572 people came to the Island by airplane, ship, and yacht, a reduction of just .79 percent from 1997.

The total number of visitors to the Island during December was 16,723, a 2.3 percent increase.

Air visitors from Canada also dropped some 5.21 percent to 33,629 people.

Ministry officials attribute this to the decline of the Canadian dollar and a strike in September by Air Canada workers, causing the loss of an estimated 1,500 visitors.

The good news from the figures is that arrivals from the United Kingdom have surpassed the 30,000 mark, topping out at 33,379, a huge 24.9 percent increase over last year.

And the Island's cruise ship industry continues to thrive, with a record number of visitors hitting our three sea ports.

During 1998, 188,331 people came by cruise ship, a 3.54 percent increase over last year, and the third year in a row that has happened.

In all, a total of 16,723 people visited the Island in December, an increase of 2.3 percent since December 1997.

Air arrivals are the worst since 1972 3.57 percent reduction in people staying at the various size hotels, guest houses, and cottage colonies.

Last year 309,123 people stayed at hotels and guest houses, and of that number 208,417 lodged at the large hotels.

The Ministry reported that 11,019 people stayed at the properties compared with 11,773 in 1997. A total of 4,547 people stayed at private homes.

Bed-night accommodations -- a key indicator of how much a visitor will spend -- saw an almost two percent drop in 1998.

Last year saw 1,628,956 bednights in local hotels, guest houses, and other commercial properties a 1.71 percent drop from the year before when there were 1,657,301 bednights.

December's figures saw a 4.32 percent decrease from 69,101 to 66,119 bednights.

The average stay in days for the month was 8.1 days, a change of just .18 percent over 1997.

But when December's figures are adjusted for visitors staying in commercial properties, there was an increase from 1997 in 1998, with people staying 6 nights last year compared to 5.86.

New Tourism minister David Allen could not be contacted last night for comment, but last month he promised new initiatives to combat the problem of declining arrivals and shortened stays.

Mr. Allen announced a new method in selecting Bermuda's overseas advertising agency and said advertising and PR budgets -- worth around $13.5 million -- would be up for review.