figures show.

During the week ending April 24, 9,918 people arrived by air, four percent below the 10,333 total reached in the same week last year.

So far this month, air arrivals are down nearly seven percent on 1993.

The results have levelled huge first quarter gains that saw Island arrivals rising more than 20 percent above last year.

For the year to date, air arrivals are up 11.3 percent -- a result more in line with the Tourism Minister's forecast that 1994 would end ten percent ahead of 1993. During his Budget speech in February, Finance Minister the Hon.

David Saul predicted total arrivals would finish three percent ahead of 1993.

A Finance Ministry spokesman yesterday said comparative figures showed April, 1993 to be one of the strongest months on record, behind only 1990 and 1987.

The spokesman said the April declines merely brought the arrivals picture into a more realistic frame.

"We couldn't expect to maintain 20-plus percent increases over last year,'' the spokesman said. "There was obviously going to be some fallback. I wouldn't read too much into these figures, at least not yet.

"If May is soft, then I think we should ask what we are doing wrong. So far there is no cause for serious concern. I would say the results this month are more disappointing.'' Part of the reason for the fall-off in April numbers to date was that Good Friday fell on April 1. Normally Easter weekend visitors arrive a few days before. Those arrivals last year came during April because Easter occurred a few days later.

Cruise ship business was also down last week, the Government report shows.

Just two ships arrived with 1,598 passengers compared to 5,200 last year.

As a result, the total visitor figure for the year to date is 7.6 percent ahead of 1993. This should rise again in the next few weeks as Government's busiest-ever cruise schedule shifts into gear.