A delegation of Bermuda representatives who visited Monaco last month had six members, a Government representative confirmed tonight.

The spokesman for the Ministry of Tourism and Transport said that Zane DeSilva, the tourism minister, was joined by Andy Burrows, the chief executive, and Lynesha Lightbourne, the business development manager, both from the Bermuda Business Development Agency, at the Monaco Yacht Show.

Nicholas Sansom, the chief business development officer at the Bermuda Shipping and Maritime Authority, Mark Soares, the owner of Bermuda Yacht Services, and Aideen Ratteray Pryse, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism and Transport, also attended the event.

Information on the cost of the trip was not provided.

The information comes after The Royal Gazette reported at the weekend that Mr DeSilva and others had attended the event to encourage superyacht owners to visit Bermuda.

Mr DeSilva delivered a speech at the Superyacht Finance Forum to tout the Superyachts and Other Vessels (Miscellaneous) Act, which passed in July to encourage superyachts to visit Bermuda.

The Bill creates new transit and cruising permits for pleasure craft and superyachts, along with charter permits for superyachts, and removes passenger departure tax for pleasure craft.

The new legislation is expected to take effect in January.

The island was also represented at the Bermuda Breakfast, an event hosted by the Ministry of Tourism and Transport and the BDA in collaboration with luxury yachting lifestyle magazine Boat International.

The event was held at the Monaco Yacht Club.

The ministry spokesman said that Mr DeSilva “was able to lend valuable insight to the superyacht community” through the two events.

He added: “Previously, the Superyachts Act made amendments to a series of Acts to create a tourism product that makes Bermuda more attractive as a destination for yachting, and for superyachts in particular.

“Implementation of the Act is intended to move superyachts from vessels that attend a single event for a limited time to vessels that stay in our waters and, in that way, create a charter industry.

“The Government anticipates Bermudians will benefit from the growth of the yachting industry through jobs associated with businesses that support the charters, and from fees that will go into the consolidated fund.”

The spokesman said that the ministry’s partnership with Boat International “focuses on raising awareness and understanding of the new superyacht legislation to a global network of brokers, owners and builders”.

He said that breakfast event was part of a larger campaign that will include advertorials that will appear “in the December editions of two key trade publications, ahead of the laws coming into effect in January 2020”.

The spokesman said that the Bermuda delegation had been “very well received with keen interest expressed by those in the superyacht industry to learn more about opportunities to charter here”.

He added: “The ministry is aware that superyacht captains have pressed for Bermuda to participate in the charter industry, and believes that Bermuda has a winning formula for success.

“This is a new beginning for Bermuda’s superyacht industry, and adds to the diversification of the tourism industry.”