Entrepreneurs who have a vision for attracting visitors to Bermuda, or ways to enhance the visitor experience, are being invited to step forward and learn how they can get a grant of up to $75,000 to pursue their ideas.

And to help make the process a little easier, the Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) is hosting a Lunch & Learn series designed to assist entrepreneurs create strong proposals ahead of the call for formal submissions for proposals.

Since it began the Tourism Experiences investment process in 2014, 55 per cent of applications been successful and the BTA has awarded $1.7 million to entrepreneurs.

In a statement the BTA said: “Home-grown ideas are essential to modernising the Bermuda hospitality product and a pathway to increasing jobs and growing the local tourism economy.”

The Lunch & Learn series, which begin on May 19, will help applicants to prepare for the submission process.

The first session is entitled Unique Experiences and Consumer Research, which will “share the BTA’s consumer research that drives the investment process to help applicants understand the need to create experiences unique to the island”, the Authority stated.

New Proposals and Business Plans is the title of the second session, on May 26, and it will help applicants to “flesh out and shape their ideas” and provide insight into a business plan.

The third session, on June 9, is entitled Utilising Social Media for Business Growth, and will demonstrate the power of social media to attract customers and grow business.

Value of Experience Panel is the title of the final session, on June 16, and this will include shortcuts to success as used by others and feature a panel of vendors who have previously received BTA investment funds to support their home-grown ideas.

The sessions will be held in the BTA’s office at 22 Church Street. There will be a second series of Lunch & Learn sessions starting in mid-July and covering much the same content.

Applications for the 2016 Tourism Experiences will be accepted by the BTA from September.

Enquiries about attending the sessions, and for more information about the Tourism Experiences initiative, should be made by e-mail to experiences@bermudatourism.com