Island's core US market, they are not alone.

Barbados has seen a similar trend in recent years, losing Americans but, as with Bermuda, gaining business from UK and European markets -- in addition to seeing an increase in cruise passengers.

And as Bermuda has seen a gradual erosion of air arrivals since 1980, so Barbados can track the start of its US/UK reversal back to the mid-eighties.

Alyson Forte, chief research officer at the Barbados Ministry of Tourism, said visitors from the US had declined from 1987 when arrivals hit a high point of 175,000 air visitors.

Back then, there were 79,000 vacationers from the UK, but now British visitors account for 180,000 arrivals -- contrasted to 107,000 from the United States.

Overall, Barbados gets 37 percent of its clientele from the UK and 21 percent from the US.

A strong British connection with the Island, including a high proportion of hotels with UK backing, and several direct flights have brought the country a loyal following from Britain, said Hugh Foster, public relations manager of the Barbados Tourism Authority.

And the UK means more visitors, staying longer and spending more -- coming at a time when the battle for American vacationers has really heated up.

"I think the competition in the US is so fierce in terms of sun destinations and we are marketed extremely well in the UK.'' He said he believed that visitors from the UK and Europe felt they got value for money for their vacation.

Add the British links to its past, cricket, UK investment in its hotels, and a steady, safe reputation.

The island splits its marketing between the two markets, not wanting to be too reliant upon one country or region.

And with Bermuda's numbers from Europe, particularly the UK, on the rise, he had some advice for tourism officials here: "Fish where the fish are -- if the market is responding, you should go all out.''