Bermuda tourism chiefs have admitted they expected a larger number of participants to compete in the Island’s inaugural Corporate Games.Almost 1,500 athletes from more than 80 companies took part in 15 different sports during the three-day Games, which drew to a close on Sunday.But despite the multi-sport event attracting 3.25 percent of Bermuda’s working population the largest percentage ever in Games history tourism bosses would be hoping for a bigger turnout if the event returned to the Island.It’s understood only 70 overseas competitors visited Bermuda to compete in the Games, which saw everyday athletes represent large and small companies, organisations and charities in a sport of their choice.Bermuda’s Tourism Minister Wayne Furbert said: “We expected more people to come out, (but) everything starts at a beginning somewhere. Over 1,000 people participated. Based on per capita, Bermuda actually had a larger contingent this year than the Australian group.“There is no doubt that corporations have been cutting back on their budgets but hopefully next year it can be much better.Chairman of the Tourism Board, Maxwell Burgess, said he could foresee the Corporate Games one day becoming as popular as the Rugby Classic one of the jewels in the crown for sports tourism in Bermuda.“The truth of the matter is I saw hundreds of people participating in sports this weekend that would not have been doing so otherwise … that can only be a good thing,” he said.“We are going to grow it. I think we have had a good start … it could have been better, without question. The thing we are talking about this morning is we’re going to grow sports tourism, and we’re going to grow it one sport at a time.“Remember the role that one man had in the Rugby Classic that Bermuda has today. His name is John Kane. Today John walks around with pride. You will see a man who said, ‘I saw it before most people believed in it’ and he got there.”Bermuda Police Service claimed an impressive 42 medals to become the most successful team at the Corporate Games, while the company represented by the most athletes was Argus.For the past 25 years, over a million participants, whose 20,000 companies have supported them, have taken part in the Games on five continents, 25 countries and 53 cities.The first edition of the Games was held in San Francisco in 1988, followed by events in Concord, California and Hawaii. In 1993, the Games were staged for the first time outside of the US, in Sydney, Australia.Sponsors of Bermuda’s Corporate Games included the Department of Tourism, Catlin, XL and the Whitfield Group.