The Bermuda Government has recently announced that they have extended the maximum visitation time to the island from 21 days to 90 days. This extension is granted exclusively to sailors and their crew who stay in one of Bermuda’s ports.
This move is designed to encourage tourism to the country and bolster the declining economy. Visiting yachts and crews spent over $10 million in Bermuda in 2010 and they expect that number to coincide directly with the allowed visitation time.
The cost to stay at the island is $250 per person for the full 90 days.
“Extending the permitted length of stay will increase this contribution to the local economy and further the positive image of Bermuda as ‘open for business’,” said Minister of National Security Wayne Perinchief. “We want to demonstrate more red carpet and less red tape.”
Perinchief who has pushed for this extension for the past decade is now lobbying the government to construct a mega-yacht port to be built on either side of the island to better serve the yachting community.
“The policy change makes Bermuda user friendly for the yachting community and will certainly enhance the likelihood of more positive consideration of a Bermuda stopover by transient yachts,” said Perinchief.
