New hotels will increase Bermuda’s room numbers by 240, the Bermuda Tourism Authority reported on Friday.

Kevin Dallas, the chief executive of the BTA, said the Azura, Caroline Bay and St George’s hotel developments would reverse a decades-long downward trend. He was speaking in the foreword to the BTA year in review report, tabled in the House of Assembly.

Mr Dallas also highlighted 2017, the year the America’s Cup was held, a record-breaker for air and cruise ship arrivals.

A total of 693,000 people visited the island.

Mr Dallas said: “If Bermuda is to keep up with the tourism success of 2017, she will maintain the industry’s glide path to resurgence”.