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

More hotel rooms are being booked, transport operators are picking up business during what is usually a quieter time of year, and the National Sports Centre is seeing its facilities put to use on a more consistent basis.

Meanwhile, Front Street restaurant Flanagan’s has rolled out a welcome mat to attract some of that extra custom to its establishment.

The Bermuda Tourism Authority-led initiative has created a joined-up “ecosystem” of mutual support that is giving a fillip to a range of businesses outside the peak tourism season.

In the first three months of this year it is estimated 1,900 sports tourism visitors came to Bermuda.

At the heart of the endeavour is a partnership between the BTA and the National Sports Centre. The partnership was created last year, and yesterday it was extended to the end of this year. The tourism authority and the NSC together are working to attract overseas sports teams, including high school and collegiate groups, to choose Bermuda for training trips and possible tournaments.

The BTA pays for visiting teams to use the NSC facilities, based on a pre-agreed partnership rate sheet. The National Sports Centre facilities include a heated outdoor swimming pool, running track, football and rugby fields, hockey pitch and a weight training room. The benefit for the NSC is clear, that during the months when local use of the facilities tends to tail off it continues to generate income through bookings from overseas visitors, including some national teams.

For the tourism authority the initiative reaps benefits by attracting more visitors to the island, and they are predominantly younger, first-time visitors.

Pat Phillip-Fairn, the BTA’s chief product and experiences development officer, hopes the sports tourism visitors will make return trips to the island and spread the word to others.

She said a number of hotels with experience catering for visiting sports teams, such as Grotto Bay and Coco Reef, have linked up with the sports tourism drive to provide accommodation at attractive rates. And a number of transport operators, particularly those with minibuses, have seen extra business come their way ferrying teams and sports visitors around the island.

George Albert Ratteray, owner of GAR Transport, negotiated directly with the teams for their business after receiving an e-mail introduction from the BTA. He 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.”

His company handled transportation for the Danish national swimming team and the SwimMac elite team, of Carolina, both of whom held training camps that lasted for more than a week.

The economic boost from the sports tourism drive has rippled out to include hotels and other businesses.

Mrs Phillip-Fairn said: “The multiplier effect is really working. Some of the hotels are very supportive and have been offering the teams good rates.”

She said the BTA acted as a facilitator to put the sports teams and visitors in touch with accommodation and transportation partners who could offer supportive team and group rates.

“We had the goals and we found the right partners. We started talking to the NSC last year. They were receptive to the initiative and then we brought the other partners on-board,” she said, adding that Flanagan’s pub and restaurant had recognised the benefits and now offered deals to visiting sports teams. Mrs Phillip-Fairn hopes other hospitality operators will come on board.

The period between November and March tends to be a traditionally “soft” time of year for tourism in Bermuda. But the island can still be an attractive destination for sports teams from much colder climates. That has been the shown by the arrival of teams from Europe and North America to take advantage of the initiative.

Increased visitor spending is one tangible benefit for businesses, it is also hoped that there will be long-lasting benefits as many of the sports teams are young and potentially could become regular visitors.

“For a lot of the teams Bermuda is a new place. They come to see what we have to offer. There is plenty of interest to come from this. The level of enquiries have increased,” said Mrs Phillip-Fairn.

Sean Tucker, the NSC’s board chairman, said: “It is fortuitous and it is opening up the overseas market for us.”

As an example, he said the volume of use at the swimming pool has increased during the winter months when residents tend not to use the facilities as often.

He hopes teams will have a good time and will come back and bring their family and friends.

Mrs Phillip-Fairn added: “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.”