The Bermuda Tourism Authority will financially support new culinary, heritage and water sport activities for visitors as part of its 2016 tourism experiences investment process.

Meanwhile, a spokesman said events such as the Bermuda Fly-fishing Invitational, Bermuda Yoga Festival and Bermuda Heroes’ Weekend are being renewed for funding.

In total, the spokesman said around $607,000 will be allocated to 38 tourism experiences, including more than a dozen new experiences.

Among the additions is an intimate dinner theatre performance of Reminiscences and Other Lies, starring local actor Gavin Wilson as Mark Twain, and a new water sport experience by Kinezumi Water Sports.

Entrepreneur Antwan Albouy said: “Our original idea was land based, but from the lunch and learn sessions we learnt visitors wanted more of a thrill from their water sport activities. This summer we plan to introduce the hydro-powered Jetovator, among other water-based products, which will bring plenty of excitement for thrill-seeking visitors.”

Meanwhile the spokesman said the Bermuda Heroes’ Weekend is hoped to be bigger and better than last year with BHW Ltd representatives promoting the Bermuda Carnival to revellers in Trinidad.

Jason Sudeko of BHW said: “The carnival-chaser is a new visitor market for Bermuda. We saw the potential and went after it, but we remained true to the BTA strategy of being unique and authentic. That’s where the raft-up part of Bermuda Carnival came from.

“For June 2016 we already have tour operators and travel agents who want to package the experience which is an important new element for attracting carnival-chasers.”

Since April 2014, the BTA has allocated about $2.3 million to home-grown ideas that help revive the island’s collection of visitor experiences. The BTA opens the application process to the public with a series of free lunch and learn sessions to share consumer research and offer advice from tourism industry entrepreneurs.