SIMON Francis insisted Cherries' Dubai trip would be no "holiday camp" as Eddie Howe's men build for Premier League survival.

Cherries jetted to the United Arab Emirates immediately after Saturday's 2-1 win over West Brom, with Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex hosting the Dorset club's training sessions during a five-day stay.

Howe's troops trained in Dubai during March international breaks in their first two seasons in the Premier League having first visited ahead of their run-in when they won the Championship in 2015.

And Francis, who has accompanied the group despite being forced off injured against the Baggies, knows the trip will be no easy ride.

Speaking ahead of the win over West Brom, Francis told the Daily Echo: "You have seen football clubs in the past couple of years not get the results they want and they head to warmer climes and it can be viewed as a holiday camp.

"I can understand that, of course. We are in a fortunate position to be able to go to those kind of places in international breaks but it's anything but a holiday camp.

"We'll be training out there three or four times and I can't say enough positive things about the trip – we have always come back refreshed.

"The training facilities are the best I've come across and we will definitely benefit from them. It's also a good chance for the squad to bond.

"We have done it the past few years and knowing the manager, he likes to stick with things he knows have been successful for us."

Cherries are eight points clear of the drop zone and four short of the fabled 40-point mark heading into their next top-flight fixture at Watford, who are immediately below them in the table in 11th.

Francis said: "There is still a lot of work to do and coming back off the international break, it's the business end of the season and a time where we have to pick up the points which will keep us in the Premier League.

"The manager could easily have told us to have a week off and spend time with our families but he's not like that and we wouldn't expect anything less.

"When we train, we train hard. Everyone knows about the intensity and it's doubled out there with the heat.

"We came back from our break last season and went on a run. We picked some important results and we're hoping for more of the same this time."

Discussing the importance of the camp, Howe said: "It’s a nice change for the players, especially with the weather we have here at the moment and our training pitches not being particularly good, so we will do some hard work and get ready for Watford.

“We feel these camps have been of benefit to us in the past. Last season, we came back from a break and put together a really good run of results.”