BOURNEMOUTH hotels could face problems during the Olympics due to poor advance bookings.

Andrew Woodland, chairman of BAHA (Bournemouth Area Hospitality Association) said many hotels have still got space just a few months before the Games begin.

Mr Woodland said: “We’ve got to watch the Olympics.

“A lot of hotels have still got space. I know Bournemouth Tourism is doing a marketing strategy saying something along the lines of come out of London there is plenty of room down here type of thing.

“All the hotels are finding it difficult. We reckon the Queen’s Jubilee will be good and the Air Festival of course is always a draw.

“But no foreigners are coming across at this time it would appear or they would have booked in advance. They have decided to come across October to December to take advantage of the cheaper rates.”

A spokesperson for Bournemouth Tourism said a campaign had already been launched with a poster at Waterloo train station encouraging visits to Bournemouth.

Rachel Selby, revenue co-ordinator at FJB Collections, which owns The Chine hotel in Boscombe, The Haven, The Sandbanks and The Harbour Heights hotels in Poole, said they hadn’t experienced especially high demand for bookings during the Olympic period.

“There has not been a great demand for it but we are generally busy at that time of year anyway.

“Bookings haven’t increased in relation to the Olympics.

“Personally I haven’t noticed any big demand.

“But for us it is not a huge concern because it is busy during the summer anyway.”

Tim Lloyd, director of The Captains Club Hotel in Christchurch, inset, warned fellow hoteliers not to panic. He said: “We were not expecting a big surge in advance bookings.

“It will be people that stay on for holidays afterwards that will venture to this area.

“People will travel out of London after the events, so it’s about marketing the area as best we can in advance.

“My advice would be to hang in there and see what happens.”