World Heritage site.

Yesterday Britain's Minister for Culture, Chris Smith, confirmed that the town will be formally nominated to the United Nation's Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) -- the body responsible for granting status.

The town is one of just two sites selected from a shortlist of 25 around the UK and its colonies to be nominated this year. The other location to be nominated is the Blaenavon industrial landscape in south Wales.

But although St. George's will be put forward later this year, status might not be granted for another three years.

St. George's Foundation chairman Louis Mowbray said: "You have to get a formal application in to the UK which then applies to UNESCO, but then there's a lot of backing and forthing.

"It's a long process that can take two or three years to go through the works. UNESCO has to make sure that we meet all the criteria.

"What it means is that St. George's will be registered as a World Heritage site. Although there isn't any direct financial benefit -- they don't make grants -- it does say to the rest of the world that this is an important site that's worth preserving.

"That will help us get support from financial organisations and it will also help Bermuda from the point of view of visitorship.''