BOURNEMOUTH beach has been valued at a whopping £2.25 billion following a study by a holiday company.

By multiplying the size of the beach (696,671m²) by the average cost per m² of an apartment in the town (£3,232), Canvas Holidays calculated how much the sands of Bournemouth are worth.

The £2.25bn sum ranks it the second highest value beach in the world, with Venice Beach in California in the top spot with a £2.39bn valuation.

In third place is Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, valued at £801m.

Canvas Holidays’ research focussed on 15 of the world’s most popular beaches.

Bournemouth beach was named 14th best beach in the world in the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards.

It was also crowned the best beach in the UK and the fifth best in Europe.

The accolade was given on the basis of the quality and quantity of traveller reviews and ratings on the travel site over a 12-month period.

Chris Saunders, head of operations at Bournemouth & Poole Tourism, welcomed Canvas Holidays’ valuation of Bournemouth beach, placing it above the famous golden sands of Pampelonne beach in St Tropez, France, and Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, and the coral-coloured Pink Sands Beach in the Bahamas.

He said: “This is more great news for Bournemouth beach and shows that our seafront investment strategy, for a world-class vision, is helping to drive economic prosperity for the town.”

A spokesperson for Canvas Holidays described Bournemouth beach as “a great surf spot, with 99s aplenty and a healthy amount of sunshine”.

“When it comes to booking a holiday, beaches are one of the first things many people look for. Every year, millions of people head out in search of golden sands and crystal-clear waters,” they said.

“Where many cities are filled with skyscrapers and, seemingly, no open space, the respite of an ocean view or the feeling of sand between your toes can provide an invaluable getaway from the stresses of everyday life.”

Also appearing in the top 15 highest valued beaches in the world are Playa del Cable in Spain and Patong Beach in Thailand.