As temperatures soared across the country, Bournemouth and Poole basked in heat of up to 26°C, attracting record numbers of sun seekers to the South Coast.
The early May Bank Holiday proved to be Britain’s hottest since records began and Bournemouth and Poole were no exception. The UK’s best seaside resort, as voted in the British Travel Awards 2017, expects between 60,000 and 100,000 visitors on a busy summer’s day but this weekend saw record numbers flock to its beaches.
Jon Weaver, Head of Resort Marketing and Events for Bournemouth and Poole, said: “It was fantastic to see so many people enjoying our sandy beaches and bathing in the warmer weather. We’re used to it being busy in the summer season but we don’t normally see numbers like these until Bournemouth Air Festival in August when totals across four days can reach over ¾ million!
“After the disappointment of a drizzly Easter weekend, we were delighted to see businesses around the town and along the seafront doing so well.”
Chris Saunders, Head of Operations for Bournemouth and Poole Tourism, said: “We’re proud to be the destination of choice for so many and we’re honoured that people choose to spend their leisure time here with us. It’s this family appeal that has earned Bournemouth the title of Britain’s Best Beach in TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards.
“Our teams were really busy along the full stretch of coastline from Sandbanks to Southbourne. All deckchairs were out, our five land trains were full and the kiosks sold thousands of ice creams.
“I’d also like people to know that we had our cleansing teams out all weekend, working to keep the beaches clean and I’d like to thank the public who help by putting their litter in the bins provided.”
The next bank holiday weekend is 26 – 28 May and Bournemouth and Poole are preparing with events including Bournemouth 7s Festival, the return of the Metropole Market in Lansdowne, concerts and gigs at Bournemouth International Centre and Lighthouse, Poole’s Centre for the Arts, as well as the free, outdoor delights of its award-winning beaches of course!
