The 2018 World Triathlon Series was an economic win for Bermuda, a tourism review has revealed.

According to the Bermuda Tourism Authority year-in-review report, a PWC study revealed that the event generated $4.4 million, a 152 per cent economic return on the $2.9 million investment by the Bermuda Government.

Media coverage of the event netted an estimated 1.1 million viewers, generating $17.8 million in estimated advertising equivalent.

In all 890 individuals travelled to the island for the event, 304 of them to participate.

Among the major accomplishments highlighted in the review was the National Tourism Plan.

Paul Telford, BTA board chairman described the 2018 industry performance as a “Victory”.

In his chairman’s letter Mr Telford said: “The National Tourism Plan was rolled out during our annual tourism summit in October and work began instantly to execute with a series of town-hall meetings and working groups.

“As we head into 2019, we have a road map for success to 2025.”

The National Tourism Plan, expected to create a balanced and growing tourism industry through to 2025, was formulated through consultation with members of the public.

In addition to completing the plan, the report also highlighted major accomplishments in cruise ship arrivals outside the summer months last year.

Cruise passenger arrivals outside of the summer months increased by 34 per cent as part of the BTA’s strategy to create a year-round travel industry that keeps tourism workers and entrepreneurs earning money every month of the year.

The review also highlighted that Bermuda won the Conde Nast Traveler influential readers’ poll last year, finishing as the #1 island in the Caribbean and Atlantic Region, while simultaneously being celebrated in a spectacular photo on the cover of Conde Nast Traveler’s November issue.

Bermuda also became the first island destination to have its entire jurisdiction on the Google Street view platform last year.

The two-year project to have the country on the Google platform was completed with the upload of hundreds of photos, video and 360 images.

The BTA revealed earlier this year that Bermuda had a record number of visitors to the island in 2018 with 770,683 visitors up by 84,775 people or 11 per cent on 2017.

The year-in-review report indicated that of that number, there were 203,697 leisure air arrivals, exceeding the 2017 number by more than 21,000, and it was the highest the country has seen since 2002.

The recently released annual year-in-review report can be viewed at http://annualreport.bermudatourism.com/2018/