Government has spent $125,000 to back the organisers of the Bermuda Heroes Weekend carnival.

Jamahl Simmons, the Minister of Tourism and Workforce Development told the House of Assembly that the financial backing would bring significant yields from “the world’s fastest growing carnival”.

Mr Simmons told MPs: “This dynamic new partnership will ensure that Heroes Weekend Carnival is sustained long into the future and will be cemented into Bermuda’s social and cultural calendar.

“Under the agreement, the Government will provide the human and financial resources to ensure a solid foundation that underpins the event’s operations and assists in addressing old debts.

“All the while the leadership of BHW Ltd continues to execute their unprecedented and hugely successful promotional, logistic and organisational operation.”

Mr Simmons said that visitor numbers showed the island had started to attract “younger and more diverse visitors to our shores”.

He added the carnival was “very social media friendly”.

Mr Simmons said: “When the colour, energy, and motion of carnival is added to the natural beauty of Bermuda and the warmth and beauty of our people, interest in Bermuda’s tourism, cultural, and natural assets can

only grow stronger and stronger.”

He added visitor arrivals for the weekend had climbed from 172 in 2015 to 686 in 2017.

Mr Simmons said: “We continue to break the image of Bermuda as a destination only for the ‘newlywed or nearly dead’.

“Our visitor numbers show we are attracting younger, more diverse visitors to our shores — and the buzz about Bermuda continues to grow.”

• To read Jamahl Simmons’s statement in full, click on the PDF under “Related Media”