"The growth we're seeing for sports tourism is explosive."

Southwest Florida's busiest season just got busier, with the region's burgeoning sports tourism niche taxing hotels already filling up with traditional northern visitors.

As Southwest Florida and the state continue to post record-breaking visitation numbers, local tourism officials and hoteliers are preparing for the added influx of athletes and fans to a variety of sporting events this spring.

"It's not just spring training anymore," said Virginia Haley, president of Visit Sarasota County, the county's tourism agency. "There is a tremendous variety of events, from equestrian events to tennis tournaments coming up."

Read more at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.