Kent businesses are being urged to go for international trade gold by teaming up with foreign sports squads in the run-up to the 2012 Olympic Games.

The pioneering “adopt-a-squad” scheme will create a database of employers interested in supporting overseas teams coming to the county to train.

Thirty-six sites in Kent and Medway have been identified as potential training camps - more than any other county - and national teams are expected to be quick off the mark to book their slots after this summer’s Beijing Games.

Kent County Council is promoting the sites to 10,000 International Sports Federations, National Olympic Committees and Paralympic Associations.

Officials have already held discussions about training in Kent with a number of nations following the archery world cup in Dover last year.

Representatives from Estonia, Romania, Canada and the United States have already checked out the county and Saudi Arabia’s volleyball players and Slovenian gymnasts have expressed interest.

Because many teams will find it hard to fully fund their pre-Games training, KCC is enlising business support by setting up an international business and sports partnership.

Chris Hespe, KCC’s head of sport, leisure and Olympics, said a great way for firms to share the excitement of the Olympics in the build-up to the 2012 games was to be associated with international teams.

“We want to achieve sporting, educational and cultural links between nations that would also lead to economic links,” he said. “I see this as a huge opportunity for Kent companies.”

He believes firms will be able to forge commercial links on the back of sporting deals. “We would like to create a list of companies willing to be approached by us every time a nation is due to come over.”

He is looking for offers of financial sponsorship or help in kind, for example by providing a mini-bus to take the team around, paying for a team’s hotel accommodation, or funding visits to local attractions to show off what the county has to offer.

“There’s no reason why firms could not adopt nations or squads and follow them all the way through to 2012,” Mr Hespe added. “There would also be photo opportunities for the firms and their staff.”

He insisted firms registering an interest would not be obliged to help. “But they would be contributing to these nations’ visits and by doing so enhancing the international profile and standing of those firms.”

Firms wishing to register an interest in supporting visiting international sports squads should email carly.templeman@kent.gov.uk.