Government highlights its support for coastal communities as Tourism and Sports Minister visits Dorset
Tourism and Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock has visited Dorset to see how tourism, sport and a range of events are attracting millions of visitors year-round, helping to create jobs and support local businesses.
The Minister visited Dorset’s famous Jurassic Coast, a multi-award winning visitor attraction and top sailing venue to see how these are all helping to encourage families to take a trip to the South Coast.
In 2024, tourism contributed £1.73 billion to Dorset’s economy, with 22.8 million visits and more than £700 million spent, supporting nearly 30,000 tourism jobs.
To give places and people more control over their future, the Government is giving local leaders and mayors new powers to introduce an Overnight Visitor Levy. The Minister met with local stakeholders across sports and tourism and explained how the levy will give communities the ability to raise money to invest in their visitor economies and local priorities. The Government will protect budget holidays by requiring the levy to be charged as a percentage of the cost of accommodation rather than as a flat fee, ensuring low cost accommodation always pays the least.
The Minister also visited the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy, one of the UK’s leading sailing venues and the principal training base of the British Sailing Team.
Since hosting sailing events at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Academy has helped develop elite athletes while strengthening Weymouth’s reputation as a premier destination for sailing and water sports. With less than two years until the 2028 Los Angeles Games, the Minister saw how UK Sport’s £23.95 million investment is helping British athletes prepare.
The Government is also investing in grassroots sport across Dorset, with £1.5 million awarded between 2024/25 and 25/26 financial years to support 21 local projects, helping more people access quality facilities and participate in sport.
The Minister then visited Weymouth Harbour and the award-winning museum at Nothe Fort to see how the town’s maritime heritage, coastline, and events programme drives the local visitor economy and complements its sports offering.
Minister for Sports, Tourism and Place Stephanie Peacock said:
“Dorset’s world-class sailing facilities, rich maritime heritage and iconic coastline make it one of the UK’s leading visitor destinations. Places like Weymouth show how tourism and sport work hand in hand to drive growth, support local businesses and create opportunities for people across the region.
“That’s why this Government is committed to backing visitor economies and helping destinations around the country grow sustainably all year round, so local people can feel the benefits that sport and tourism bring.”
To help increase visitor flows across the UK, a forthcoming Visitor Economy Strategy will set out the Government’s long-term, place-based plan to boost value and deliver sustainable growth across regional visitor economies.
The Government is also investing £3.38 million through Visit England’s Connected Destinations Fund to help destinations come together to develop stronger visitor experiences and drive sustainable tourism growth.
Hospitality and tourism businesses across England and Wales are also set to benefit from fairer tax bills under a newly announced Government review into the business rates system.
The visit follows the Minister’s recent trip to Blackpool, where she visited the iconic Winter Gardens and Pleasure Beach to see how the town’s visitor economy is supporting local jobs, businesses and communities. The Government tourism agency, VisitEngland, has recently launched its ‘All on England’s Coast’ campaign, which is showcasing the experiences that make England’s coastline one of the nation’s greatest tourism assets.
Councillor Nick Ireland, Leader of Dorset Council, said:
"It was a pleasure to welcome Tourism Minister, Rt Hon Stephanie Peacock MP, to Weymouth this week to showcase the significant progress being made on the town's regeneration programme, which is supported by government funding.
"Weymouth is one of Dorset's most loved visitor destinations, renowned for its stunning beach, exceptional dining experiences and rich maritime and cultural heritage. Regenerating and investing in the resort is vital to ensuring it continues to thrive as a popular domestic and international visitor destination.
"The Minister's visit comes at an exciting time, alongside the launch of Dorset's new Destination Management Plan, which sets out a clear and collaborative vision for how we intend to grow our visitor economy sustainably over the next decade.
"Strong investment for Weymouth combined with a joined-up approach to destination management will help us attract more visitors throughout the year and support our local businesses.
“We are delighted to have had the opportunity to showcase to the Minister the positive impact the government's investment is already having and highlight our ambitious plans for the future."
- Tourism in Dorset contributed £1.73 billion to the economy in 2024, supporting nearly 30,000 jobs
- £1.5 million in grassroots sport funding has supported 21 local projects since 2024
- Government is committed to supporting visitor economies and backing grassroots sports
