BY JACK WELCH

With the summer now waiting in the wings it is to be expected that people will have a desire to make a short escape to other parts of the world.

However, the trend of the 'staycation', to stay within the country for holidays, has grown.

More and more people are staying local, taking day drips to local tourist sites and museums or engaging in activities such as horseback riding and hiking.

According to a report published by Visit England this year, there has been a 16 per cent decrease of people venturing abroad with more and more people choosing to visit different parts of the UK.

Dorset is no exception to this.

The success of shows like Broadchurch over the past couple of years and more recently the new adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s Far From the Madding Crowd have not only meant a boost to the media industry, but have also developed a curiosity about the great locations shown on the screen that are just down the road from us.

The attraction to the county’s hotspots have also ensured an economic boost to Dorset overall.

For residents, it may be a case of looking a bit harder to feel convinced in staying at home, but I feel that in Dorset we don't have to look far to see all the things it has to offer.