NEW routes flying to and from Bournemouth airport could be a boost for tourism in Weymouth and the rest of the area.

That is the view of local business leaders after it was announced that nine new routes would be into and out of the airport after its bosses signed a new deal with airline operator Flybe.

The nine new routes, to Glasgow, Amsterdam, Dublin, Jersey, Manchester, Paris, Biarritz, Deauville and Toulon started this week.

It is thought the new routes could bring an extra 300,000 passengers to the county each year.

They are also being welcomed as they allow holidaymakers to avoid long journeys to London airports.

Now, two business leaders from the area have praised the announcement and said they thought it could have a positive impact on south and west Dorset’s tourism industry.

Alison Weller, owner of the Channel View guesthouse and a committee member at the Weymouth Hoteliers, Guesthouses and Leaseholders Association (HGLA), said she felt it would have a big impact on the local tourism trade.

She said: “Anything that gives the opportunity for more tourists coming into the area and into Weymouth is great news.

“It might give Bournemouth an initial boost first, but I’m sure it will help us in the future.

“We have lost Condor from the town and yes we get a lot of people coming in from cruise liners but that doesn’t benefit the hoteliers, so anything that gets people travelling into the area can only be good for hoteliers and Weymouth in general.”

Steve Newstead, chairman of the Weymouth Business Improvement District (BID), welcomed the news.

He said: “I think it will have a massive impact on the town.

“I think this has probably come off the back of the LEP funding the airport received and I think it could have a really big affect on the local area.

“The biggest issue with Weymouth is we need some sign posting from Bournemouth to Weymouth to direct people to the town once they land in Bournemouth, and the BID is in a number of conversations with the relevant local authorities to do that.

“The research we have conducted shows that once people get to Weymouth, they often come back on repeat visits, so it’s about getting them here in the first place.

“If we can do that, then it will be huge.”

Speaking at the official launch, Bournemouth Airport managing director Paul Knight said: “This is a very special day for us. Five years ago we opened this terminal just as the recession hit this country.

“This brings lots of opportunities for inbound tourism as well as the normal holiday routes.” Many flights have already been booked up during the summer.