United Kingdom increasing.

Every market to Bermuda dropped in February apart from the UK and "rest of world'' categories, according to monthly statistics from the Department of Tourism.

A total of 14,413 visitors arrived during the month, down 5.06 percent on the same period in 1999.

Overall, air visitors dropped by 9.46 percent for the month to 13,745.

Of that total there were 9,277 from the US, down 11.08 percent; 2,239 from Canada, down 14.96 percent; 1,613 from the UK, up 6.26 percent; 243 from Europe, down 0.41 percent; and 373 from the rest of the world, up 5.67 percent.

And bed nights, a barometer of the tourist economy's health, also fell by 11.40 percent to 84,922 overall.

Large hotels lost out most with a drop of 26.99 percent and were followed by small hotels which were down 5.42 percent.

Housekeeping cottages fared better and climbed 13.38 percent and cottage colonies saw an increase of 0.94 percent.

Visitor numbers take a fall Out of Bermuda's core US market, only the western region saw an increase in visitors. It rose by 18 percent from 366 to 432 people in February.

The mid-Atlantic region dropped 3.6 percent, from 4,417 to 4,258; north east fell by 13.42 percent, from 2,704 to 2,341; south east decreased by 28.81 percent, from 1,888 to 1,344; and the mid-west also fell by 14.72 percent from 1,046 to 892 visitors.

Canada -- which normally sends half its yearly visitors from November to March -- saw a fall of 14.96 percent from 2,633 to 2,239.

There were a total of 668 cruise visitors during February, most of whom came from the UK.

The Department of Tourism also reported that airlines filled 23,000 of their 35,319 available seats, a load factor of 65 percent. This was down four percent on the previous year, which had 2,000 fewer seats.

February's numbers follow a disappointing start to the year.

In January, arrivals from all North American markets fell, in addition to decreases in visitors from the UK and Canada.

According to the statistics released yesterday, Europeans spent more on dining and entertainment than their American counterparts. US honeymooners spent the most of arrivals from the American sector, followed by US business visitors.