The European Pool Championships, which was recently hosted for the second time at the Villa Marina, has boosted autumn visitor numbers.
The Department of Tourism and Leisure has also welcomed the further publicity garnered by its coverage on Sky TV.
Martyn Quayle MHK, Minister for Tourism and Leisure, said, "The championships featured over 700 players, officials and spectators from across Europe and were a welcome boost to our visitor arrivals outside the peak summer months.
"They were voted a tremendous hit when they were first staged here in 2005 and this time was even better.
"In addition, the event was filmed and will be shown later this year on Sky TV providing further valuable publicity."
Teams from Spain, Northern Ireland, Eire, France, the Shetlands, Gibraltar, England, Scotland and Wales – as well as the Isle of Man – took part in a week-long series of contests with the major honours going to Scotland in the men’s team tournament and to Northern Ireland in the ladies’ team tournament.
Event organiser Ross McInnes, director of Dunfermline-based International Sports Promotions, said the championships had been voted a major success by the players and officials.
"This was a competition which created huge interest within the international pool fraternity."
Mr McInnes was also a player in the tournament and walked away with a gold medal as a member of Scotland’s senior team and with the individual gold medal in the seniors tournament.
The championships were also an important landmark for the world number one pool player Andy Lucas from Wisbech, whose victory in the EBA European Eight-Ball competition gave him the full complement of the world’s biggest pool titles, described afterwards by experts as ‘a massive achievement’.
The Championships also featured a very popular category for players with learning difficulties.
Ross McInnes, whose wife Michaela refereed the final of the world snooker championship, added, "This event could not have taken place without the tremendous support of the Department of Tourism and Leisure and a number of local businesses."
Pictured: The Scottish A side celebrates victory in The European Pool Championships team Competition.
