Rotorua accommodation providers are benefiting from the AIMS Games as thousands of intermediate-aged athletes get ready to compete in the sports tournament.

The Zespri AIMS Games tournament returns to Tauranga from September 3-9 after a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19.

More than 25,000 athletes, officials and supporters are expected for the week-long sporting event for athletes aged 11 to 13. That includes local athletes from Rotorua Intermediate and Mokoia Intermediate.

Some schools say their athletes are basing themselves in Rotorua and travelling to Tauranga daily as accommodation there has been fully booked for months.

All Seasons Holiday Park Rotorua manager Tracie Thornborough said two AIMS Games teams were booked to stay, 14 from Rotorua and 44 from Waimauku, because they couldn’t get accommodation in Tauranga.

Thornborough said the AIMS Games guests represented about 30 per cent of next week’s bookings and there were still 15 family units available.

“If it wasn’t for the AIMS Games athletes and their supporters our bookings would probably be significantly down for the week.”

A Ramada Resort by Wyndham Rotorua spokesman said it was fully booked during the tournament week, thanks in large part to the arrival of AIMS Games competitors from out of town, including Napier.

“August and September tend to be a…