BERMUDA'S hotels will get a huge off-season boost next weekend from an influx of hundreds of visitors coming to the island for International Race Weekend.

And with the Fairmont Southampton and the Sonesta Beach Hotels closed for repair work, some visitors for the annual road-running extravaganza are reported to be struggling to find rooms.

Nearly 800 overseas visitors are flying in for the Bermuda Track & Field Association event ? an increase on last year of more than 200.

International Race Weekend entails four events ? next Friday's Front Street Mile, the 10K the following day and a combined half-marathon and marathon race on the Sunday. The event has become increasingly popular with charity walkers from North America, who make up a large proportion of those taking part.

Race Weekend secretary Pam Shailer said this week that she had so far received 1,008 entries ? 773 of them from overseas. More local entries were expected to come in this week.

Last year, there were 547 overseas entries out of a total of 1,153.

Mrs. Shailer said overseas numbers had been boosted this year by mass entries from two organisations new to the event.

The American Stroke Association will bring in 274 walkers and the Arthritis Society of Canada 103. In addition the Leukemia-Lymphoma Society, a regular visitor, will bring 215.

"Because of the two new groups, the numbers are well up on last year and we've heard that people are having to scramble for rooms," Mrs. Shailer said.

"It's great to think that we are helping these people to raise money for charity and it's great for Bermuda tourism that they are coming here."

Scott Hoadley, director of operations at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess Hotel, confirmed that his hotel had received a boost.

"Next weekend we will be running very close to full," Mr. Hoadley said.

"We strongly support events like Race Weekend, the Jazz Festival and the Newport-Bermuda Race for example, because they keep tourists coming to the island and it's good public relations."

Entries are still being accepted. The fee is $50 per race for entries before 5 p.m. today, going up to $60 next week. Entries can be dropped into the BTFA box at Sportseller today.

Entries made after today will only be accepted at number pick-up times at the Number One Passenger Terminal (next Thursday and Friday, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, January 17, from 12 noon to 2 p.m.).