AFC BOURNEMOUTH’S incredible promotion to the Premier League is expected to provide a £50million boost to the town’s economy.

The Cherries effectively clinched a place in football’s top flight for the first time in their history when they beat Bolton Wanderers on Monday night.

The amazing feat sent supporters into raptures, but according to tourism bosses the entire town, county and south west region should be grateful to manager Eddie Howe and the team.

Mark Smith, Bournemouth’s director of tourism, said: “The tourism business is already worth just over £500m a year to Bournemouth and this boost could be as much as a 10 per cent increase. It could be worth over £50m to the economy just by having a team that’s world class.

“The Premier League is seen by 650million people around the world, people who are thinking about where to go on holiday or where to go and learn English.

“And it’s not just the fact people are talking about Bournemouth, it is the way it is being talked about. I can’t praise the team highly enough because the style in which they have achieved success is phenomenal. They have not won by throwing billions at the team and that makes it all the more remarkable.”

Bournemouth University associate dean Dr Richard Shipway, of the university’s school of tourism, agreed with the £50m boost suggested by Mr Smith and said it could be even more.

He pointed to a study carried out by Cardiff University several years ago which looked at the impact of Swansea’s promotion to the Premier League and concluded that it was responsible for a £60million injection into the local economy.

He said the effects would be felt in several ways, from away fans spending money in hotels and pubs to an increase in overseas students wanting to study in Bournemouth.

“The stakeholders in Dorset need to take a dual approach,” he said. “There will be short-term benefits in the next few months and through the next season but they need to develop a long-term approach to leverage it in the long term.

“The eyes of the world are going to be on Bournemouth from mid August to next May. It’s a way of getting the message out through the football club about those things that we offer in Bournemouth, Dorset and the south west. It’s more than football but football is the key that can open the door to wider tourism benefits.”

Des Simmons, chair of Bournemouth Management Tourism Board, said hoteliers, guest house and bed and breakfast owners were all anticipating a welcome increase in the number of away fans visiting Bournemouth. But he said the good publicity Bournemouth would get from having a Premier League team was even more valuable.

“There’s not many other Premier League destinations where you can combine a world class football experience with the holiday destination that we’ve got here,” he said

“But it’s not just about the people coming down all throughout the season for a weekend. Bournemouth is now able to have its name on an international map where people will instantly recognise the town’s name.

“It adds another string to our bow. The tourism industry now has to be very thankful to Bournemouth football club and also work very closely with them.

“Throughout the next season, when people arrive in Bournemouth there will just be a constant buzz about the place and that’s fantastic.”

Peter Matthews, president of Bournemouth Chamber of Trade and general manager of Castlepoint, said: “People will be coming and staying here for weekends and they will be going back with the impression that we all have as residents – that it’s a great place to be. It will be brilliant for Bournemouth.”