Delegates who travelled to Cannes to promote Bradford's regeneration on the world stage have hailed their trip as a success.

Regeneration chiefs and Bradford businesses were all present at this month's MIPIM (Marche Internationale des Professionals d'Immobilier) property conference on France's Cote d'Azure.

Over the three-day event, 300 businessmen and women from all over the world were able to talk to the city's team about the benefits investing in a rejuvenating Bradford could bring.

The plans for the £1.5 billion redevelopment attracted a lot of interest from the visitors at the MIPIM event and delegates went away with scores of useful contacts to follow up for the future.

It was the first year Bradford had been represented at the international event and the presence there was so successful, plans are already underway for them to attend next year. Maud Marshall, chief executive of BCR, the company spearheading the Bradford presence, said the attention their delegation had received at the event was "a huge vote of confidence" in the city and added a huge amount of credibility to the campaign.

"It really helped us get very good PR and publicity for our campaign," she said.

Bradford went head-to-head with other major UK cities such as Nottingham and Sheffield at the event in a bid to attract investment. Bradford businesses help to sponsor the £100,000 trip to MIPIM, the world's premier property event. A spokesman for BCR said that the Bradford delegation had had excellent feedback on the quality of their presentations and that the trip had represented excellent value for money.

Councillor Margaret Eaton, leader of Bradford Council, said: "We were able to spread the message not only about our plans for a new urban village, with canal basin, in the heart of the city, but also to explain how our scheme fits into the larger picture of Bradford.

"We are delighted with the positive feedback we have received."