BOURNEMOUTH has seen an “unrivalled stream of development” in recent years, its head of tourism has said as the industry marks English Tourism Week.

Mark Smith said a combination of private and public sector investment was keeping the resort among the top UK destinations.

The opening of the Hilton and Hampton by Hilton hotels in the town centre and the BH2 leisure complex have been among the most visible of a wave of developments.

Mark Smith, the borough’s director of tourism, said: “The resort has seen an unrivalled stream of development, particularly in the last few years, as part of our commitment to providing a world class welcome and added value to the visitor experience of Bournemouth.

“We’re immensely proud of the scale of private and public sector investment. This enthusiasm for growth helps Bournemouth to retain its status as a top UK destination in a highly competitive market and doesn’t show any sign of slowing down.”

The organisers of English Tourism Week, which runs until Sunday, have highlighted a string of developments in the town:

  • Hallmark Hotels spent £1million on restoring the exterior of the Hallmark Hotel Bournemouth Carlton to its former glory.
  • The Cliffeside Hotel has undergone a £1m transformation to turn it into the Ocean Beach Hotel & Spa.
  • Derby Manor invested just under £1m in a revamp to restore its Edwardian charm and add a contemporary feel. It has already attracted more than 20,000 guests since opening last February.
  • The Lansdowne area of the town is set to benefit from a Premier Inn which is part of the new Lansdowne Plaza complex due for completion in late spring 2018.
  • The Miramar spent £200,000 on a new product management system, interior décor and a rebrand of the restaurant – now called No. 43 at the Miramar.
  • A £4m project began in 2015 to improve Bournemouth seafront, including water play features and building of a new tourist information centre.
  • BH2, at Exeter Road, is home to a 10-screen, 2,000-seat Odeon cinema and 14 restaurants, adding up to £45m in investment.

* More than £210m has been invested in Bournemouth town centre over the past three years, including increased student accommodation and multi-storey parking.

* Yellow buses has committed to investing £1.5m in improving public transport in the first half of 2017.

* Bournemouth will be at the forefront of plans to introduce 5G mobile coverage, with Ordnance Survey developing a mapping tool for placing the antennae for a 5G network.