A regatta of luxury yachts are set to visit the island next spring in what organisers hope will be the first of many Oyster Yacht Regattas in Bermuda.

David Tydeman, Oyster CEO, said they had already begun to advertise the May regatta to Oyster owners for five days of sailing and socialising.

He said: “It’s a great destination to come to. We are always looking for new ideas. I was on holiday here in July last year and I happened to meet with Bill Hanbury. We spoke about what the island was trying to achieve with the America’s Cup. We talked about creating legacy events, and I said we would be one of the first.”

Since 2001, Oyster has organised dozens of regattas across the world but Mr Tydeman feels Bermuda is ideal for sailors travelling from the Caribbean.

He said: “If you think of the geography between the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, people don’t go the straight line across. They take a circular southern route when going west and take a northerly circular route when you’re going east. Bermuda is only a little bit left of track, so it’s easy to stop off here. I just have to persuade my fleet that it’s worth the detour.”

Around 25 boats usually take part in the Caribbean regattas, and Mr Tydeman said: “Our main focus is on 50-80ft boats, and they tend to be owners sailing without professional crew. The boats are not built for racing — they are sort of baby superyachts — and we put a strong emphasis on the mix between social and on-water experiences.

“I think the focus is going to be on family-type boats. I think it’s going to be maybe 125, 150 people on 20 boats.

Detailing early plans for activities in the island, he said the regatta would likely begin at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club before moving on to Dockyard and eventually St George’s.

As far as the economic impact, he said that Oyster expect to spend about $150,000 on the island on parties and functions, while the owners will put additional money into the economy.

“We have around a dozen Oysters who came here on their own for the America’s Cup,” he said. “I flew in with one owner, and he has booked guests to come and stay at Tucker’s Point. He’s taking his boat around there next week. He was asking for a list of restaurants. They definitely spend.”

He added that while a Bermuda regatta would likely not become an annual event, he said he believes the island could become a regular part of the Oyster regatta programme.

Pat Phillip Fairn, the BTA’s chief product and experiences officer, said: “I think yachts are going to be absolutely pivotal for the tourism sector. It’s a real opportunity to build on what’s happening here. Superyachts have been coming to Bermuda, but now we have the opportunity to really present a bigger proposition to them.”