Bermuda tourism increasing

Bermuda reported an 18 percent increase in the number of tourists flying into the mid-Atlantic British territory during 2007's first quarter, attributing the boost to an influx of visitors from the United States.

The increase over the same period last year comes as several Caribbean islands are reporting tourism slumps. Jamaica, the Bahamas, Barbados and St. Lucia have all posted decreases in air passengers, according to figures from the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

"All the people who make our tourism product what it is have even more reason to hold their heads high, because this undeniable surge in visitor numbers is coming at a time when our colleagues in the Caribbean are struggling," said Premier Ewart Brown, who is also the minister of tourism.

Bermuda, known for pink-sand beaches, diving and tax-free shopping, has been recovering from a decline in tourism in 2005 that the government blamed on high airfares and fears of hurricanes.

During the first quarter, 32,946 American air passengers visited the island 640 miles east of the U.S., compared with 26,732 in 2006.