A number of airlines have recently canceled routes to Bermuda “due to the high cost of fuel.” This is code for “Bermuda seat sales are lagging” making the routes uneconomic.
The UBP believe Tourism is fudging the arrivals numbers. I think a second trend is coming into play, namely Tourism’s habit of mixing the huge numbers of business visitors into the arrivals stats.
You see, a large number of business travelers are coming to Bermuda these days on private jets. Hell, even the politicians are rumoured to sometimes hitch a ride. At any given moment there will be a dozen private aircraft at the airport.
Business travelers are more likely to fly first class, as well as pay the premium for last minute bookings in commercial flights. As they move over to private flights, it takes the profitable cream away from the commercial carriers whothen struggle to make some routes worthwhile based solely on “economy class” travelers, who are both cost-competitive and declining in numbers.
Anyone got the stats to prove me wrong? UPDATE: Also, do the Government visitor arrival figures include local residents returning to the island?
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