FIRST it was National Express revealing that Bournemouth had become its top getaway destination in the current heatwave.

Now Travelodge says the town is one of the leading staycation destinations.

Meanwhile, wider Dorset is expected to pull in nearly two and half million visitors, generating several hundreds of millions for the economy.

The numbers show how important tourism is to the county and its towns in this difficult economic times.

It’s also a reminder to those of us who live and work here, if a reminder was needed, how lucky we are to do so.