Twenty-two school soccer teams visiting the Island for a tournament are all able to get off the Island ahead of Hurricane Gonzalo, the Bermuda Tourism Authority said this afternoon.

“Hastily arranged” seats on charter and commercial flights were organised, while some youngsters were offered seats by agencies including the PGA of America.

The students’ tournament, organised by the Canadian Association of Independent Schools, was being hosted by Saltus Grammar School.

Senior BTA officials worked with Saltus and the Canadian Consulate in New York City to assist with the departures.

Authority staff also worked with the PGA of America and Turner Sports to ensure the early departure of staff and families after the PGA Grand Slam of Golf.

The BTA’s products and experiences team is liaising with groups and events scheduled in the coming weeks to ensure they have up-to-date recovery information.

“Like the rest of the country, the BTA is at a heightened state of readiness for Hurricane Gonzalo,” said chief executive Bill Hanbury. “At the same time we are preparing meticulously for the recovery from the storm.

“We know from experience, and the accolades heard on US cable news this week, Bermuda recovers quickly and strongly in the wake of a storm.

“We will redouble our efforts to let the world know when destination Bermuda is open for business following the storm.”

The BTA said it was closing its Bermuda office at 1pm today and remain closed tomorrow although it would continue operations under its Emergency Management Plan, which was activated on Monday and elevated to its most severe level on Tuesday.

Preparations include a BTA representative attending all meetings of the Emergency Measures Organisation (EMO) and hurricane advisories being published on BTA websites and social media.

Calls to the Bermuda office will be rerouted to New York, which is open today and tomorrow, and a daily conference call began on Tuesday to organise the BTA’s global communications. The BTA has also secured an alternative space if its Washington Mall site is seriously damaged.

Mr Hanbury has cancelled a sales mission to the UK to remain on-Island and oversee the Emergency Management Plan. A senior official from New York is taking his place.

BTA staff will also visit tourism properties after the storm to assess any damage if there are communication problems and only after the EMO deems it safe to do so.

The BTA also announced yesterday that it had extended the submission deadline for Tourism Experiences Investment until Friday, October 24.

The link to the Experiences Investment Application page can be found on the BTA’s Facebook page.