POOLE’S ambition to be increasingly known as a cruise destination has taken a step forward with the arrival of a new liner in the town this summer.

A 122ft, 90-passenger liner is visiting the town this year, with a new quay set to welcome up to 1,000 passengers at a time in 2017.

Poole Harbour Commissioners (PHC) have welcomed the town’s first visit from Clio, operated by Grand Circle Line.

The luxury cruise liner's passengers are mostly from the USA.

She is operating between Poole and Edinburgh this summer, calling at ports in Ireland, Scotland and the west coast of England.

PHC chief executive Jim Stewart said: “It’s great to see an uplift in cruise activity in the port and to welcome the cruise ship passengers to Poole so that they can enjoy everything the town has to offer.

“These smaller vessels cater for the top end of the market. However, next year we expect to welcome larger ships carrying up to 1,000 passengers to Poole with the construction of our new quay.”

Grand Circle Cruise Line invested £1million refurbishing the Clio at the beginning of May.

American visitors spend upwards of 7,595 US dollars (around £5,841) on the Coastal Charms of England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland tours.

They fly to London before being taken by road to Poole, where they board the Clio and travel to Falmouth, Fishguard, Holyhead, Dublin, the Isle of Man, the Isle of Islay, Oban, the Isle of Arran and Ayr, with a visit to Glasgow before going to Edinburgh ahead of their flight home.

Poole has also welcomed the Corinthian, another Grand Circle liner which has visited six times. She takes up to 98 passengers on a tour to the Isles of Scilly before visiting Wales, Ireland and Scotland.

Mr Stewart said: “PHC is delighted to confirm that both Clio and Corinthian are both booked in for 2017. We work very hard to ensure that we provide the best customer service and we are confident that the message that Poole is a perfect place for cruise activity will spread throughout the cruise sector.”

Poole received permission last year for an £8m deep water quay which will could mean a massive increase in cruise ships visiting the port.

The port has seen an increase in small cruise ships in recent years but expects to receive ships with up to 1,000 passengers once the South Quay project is completed.