PROPERTY owners could treble their returns during the Olympics, according to a holiday firm.

Self-catering specialist Blue Chip Vacations anticipates that self-catering property owners will be able to make up to three times as much in the Olympic year as in 2010.

It has based the estimate on bookings made at its Portland Ocean Views apartments for 2010 and provisional enquiries received for weeks over the Olympics.

A Blue Chip spokesman said: “There are a significant number of high-quality, long-let properties that could transfer to self-catering and seize a golden opportunity.

“This is a chance to benefit from a fantastic future income and tax breaks under the current rules.”

He added: “This is not a flash in the pan opportunity. We anticipate that future bookings will continue to grow up to and on the back of the 2012 Olympic experience.

“This will attract return bookings, further boosting income potential from a sector that is currently vastly undersupplied in Dorset.

“However, success will rely on quality.

“We anticipate that it will be the high-end properties that book first and retain the strongest return bookings in the following years.”