DORSET’S top holiday spots could benefit from a new ‘tourism sector deal’ which will allow businesses to cash in on the latest trends and spending patterns far more quickly than they can currently.

The government says the new Tourism Data Hub will ‘revolutionise the way data is used by the sector’.

Launching the initiative, Prime Minister Theresa May said the hub would collate regularly updated data ‘showing the latest trends and spends, allowing businesses to better target overseas visitors’.

According to the National Coastal Academy, there were 30million visitors to Dorset in 2017. Most were day visitors but 1.06 million stayed overnight, making them even more valuable to the local economy.

It is claimed the new tourism deal will also support the creation of an additional 10,000 apprenticeships for people building their careers in the tourism and hospitality sectors.

Last year, around 38 million people visited the UK, contributing £23billion to the economy. By 2025 experts predict that there will be an additional nine million visitors to the UK. The new deal commits to building an additional 130,000 hotel rooms to respond to the increased demand for infrastructure.

The deal also outlines the government’s ambitions for the UK to become the most accessible destination for disabled visitors, through improvement of disabled facilities and access to destinations across the country.

Theresa May said: “As one of the most visited countries in the world, the UK is a world leader in international tourism and it is crucial that we remain globally competitive to meet growing demands.

“That’s why I am pleased to announce the UK’s first ever tourism sector deal, ensuring that we continue to innovate, boost connectivity and economic productivity, expand career pathways and break down barriers for visitors with disabilities.”

Business Secretary Greg Clark said: “Tourism is one of our most valuable industries and it plays a vital role in our economy, with nearly two million people employed in the communities across the country and £23 billion pounds spent by visitors in the UK last year.”

Other commitments in the Tourism Sector Deal include more than 130,000 new hotel rooms to be built across the UK, with 75 per cent being built outside of London

There will be £250,000 to improve broadband connectivity in conferences centres across the UK for business visitors.