An initiative to attract sports teams and sports-orientated tourists to Bermuda during the winter months is paying off for businesses on the island.

And the partnership between the Bermuda Tourism Authority and the National Sports Centre, which is at the heart of the sports tourism drive, has now been extended for the remainder of 2016 in the wake of an estimated 1,900 sports tourism visitors coming to Bermuda in the first three months of this year.

About half the teams and athletes to visit the Island played or trained at the NSC where they could use the facilities at little or no cost.

The now-extended agreement allows visiting teams to use the facilities at the National Sports Centre for training camps. The BTA picks up the fees associated with using the facility and also helps the team connect with other services like accommodation, ground transportation and restaurants.

“This is one of our strategies that many people have stopped me on the street to say they are pleased to see take flight,” said Pat Phillip-Fairn, the BTA’s chief product and experiences development officer.

“During the first three months of the year we had Olympic-level swimmers, youth football players and high school and college rugby players converging on the National Sports Centre. They were here during the shoulder season when we need volume the most.

“Beyond the teams utilising the NSC we also saw new shoulder season sailing events this year and watched measurable growth with existing events like the Grey Goose World Par 3 Championship and the Bermuda Triple Challenge.

“We are very pleased with the performance of sports tourism thus far in 2016, and more importantly, we believe there is plenty of room for growth. That’s why we are excited to extend this agreement with the National Sports Centre.”

In a statement, the BTA said the NSC Aquatic Centre and the newly openly weight training facility have increased the attractiveness of Bermuda as a sports training destination.

“We have always ensured any development undertaken at the National Sports Centre is not only first class, but World Class,” said Sean Tucker, NSC’s board chairman.

“The Danish national team and the Swim Mac teams were very pleased with our facilities and they’re telling others. We look forward to this partnership agreement growing visitor numbers in the future.”

The extended agreement will cover any sports tourism training camps booked and confirmed before December 31. However, it is possible for the training camp to occur after that date.

The high volume of sports tourism in the first quarter created an economic boost for ground transportation companies like GAR Transport. The company handled transportation for the Danish and SwimMac teams. Both held training camps that lasted more than a week.

GAR Transport owner George Albert Ratteray said: “January to March, and even early April, is the perfect time to have these niche sports groups come in, before the major cruise ships arrive.”

Mr Ratteray negotiated directly with the teams for their business following an e-mail introduction by the BTA.

The estimated 1,900 sports tourism visitors is a combination of confirmed and estimated totals from event organisers. Sports tourism visitation was especially high during periods of March when high school and college students in the United States and Canada were on spring break.

Mrs Phillip-Fairn said: “We consider sports to be the new college spring break strategy for Bermuda.

“Students who are rugby players, golfers, swimmers and soccer players are finding a happy retreat in Bermuda where they can train hard and then relax on the beach, spend their days on the playing field and their evenings on Front Street.”