Visitor arrival totals remain below pre-pandemic levels, according to the latest tourism statistics.

There were 240,802 leisure visitors to the island between July and September this year, an increase of 11.5 per cent on the 215, 952 arrivals for the same period last year.

But the numbers are still well below the 285,245 arrivals for the third quarter of 2019.

The tourism industry was decimated by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 when the island was shut down for extended periods.

Numbers did begin to pick up last year due mainly to a return of a regular cruise ship schedule.

A breakdown of the figures shows that 44,579 vacationers flew to the island in the third quarter of this year, along with 196,223 cruise visitors.

Last year, the island played host to 39,302 air passengers and 176,650 cruise passengers.

The number of visitors coming to Bermuda on business painted a similar picture ‒ up marginally on last year but still well below 2019 levels.

There were 6,366 business arrivals in the third quarter of this year compared with 5,444 in 2022 and 9,558 in 2019.

The Bermuda Tourism Authority put a positive spin on the figures.

Wayne Caines, the chairman of the BTA board, said: "The third-quarter results are certainly moving in the right direction, and I am encouraged by the continued progress in recovering to pre-Covid visitor arrival and expenditure levels.

“The team at the BTA as well as industry partners remain committed in their resolve to continue to reinvent and reinvigorate Bermuda’s tourism product, investment, and offerings.

“I am confident 2023 will be a successful year and look forward to continued growth in 2024 and beyond.”

Those sentiments were echoed by Tracy Berkeley, the authority’s chief executive officer.

Ms Berkeley said: “Certainly the third quarter data is encouraging.

“However, we continue to face ongoing challenges with lack of hotel capacity, which impacts airline seat capacity.

“We were also unfortunate to be impacted by several tropical systems, which caused multiple cancellations in cruise and air arrivals.”

Ms Berkeley said hotels had performed well, adding: “When the Fairmont Southampton project is able to move forward, it will be a much needed increase in hotel bed inventory which is essential to meet growing demand and increase group-sales bookings and revenue.

“There have been many exciting initiatives launched by the BTA in the third quarter, and I look forward to increased partner and community support in ensuring continued recovery and future growth in our tourism industry.”

Total visitor arrivals for the year to date have reached 556,637 — an increase of 33 per cent on last year but still more than 15 per cent fewer than in 2019.

Bermuda Tourism Authority quarterly tourism measures and annual reports are available on the corporate page of the BTA website here.