TRAVELODGE wants to open its first hotel in Weymouth as part of its £165 million seaside and coastal town expansion programme.

The budget hotel brand celebrates 20 years of trading at UK seaside resorts this summer. To mark this milestone, the company has announced that it wants to expand in a further 26 seaside and coastal town locations.

The company says that this programme will offer the growing leisure traveller market more choice, greater value coastal holiday destinations and support local coastal economies with their regeneration plans.

Tony O’ Brien, Travelodge UK Development Director said: “We are seeing the rebirth of British seaside resorts and coastal towns as a result of Britons changing holiday habits. We are becoming a strong Staycation nation that likes to take lots of short breaks throughout the year rather than a traditional two week block holiday and Dorset is benefitting from the this trend.

“Dorset is a key tourism magnet and is enjoying year on year growth. The county’s multibillion tourism industry has great potential for further growth and we want to be a part of this. Therefore we are starting our search now for a fifth hotel in Bournemouth and our first hotel in Weymouth.

“Collectively this Dorset expansion programme would represent an investment of £13 million for third party investors and would create 50 new jobs. It will also support the local economy as our research shows on average our customers spend double their room rate with local businesses which annually results in a multimillion boost for the local economy.”

Tony continued:“To kick start our expansion programme in Dorset we are writing to Bournemouth Borough Council and Weymouth and Portland Council to see if we can play a pivotal role in their regeneration programmes. Investing in a low-cost hotel like Travelodge is an increasingly attractive choice, as it draws visitors, creates jobs and helps boost the local economy.”

This coastal expansion programme of 26 hotels collectively represents a potential investment of £165 million for third party investors and will create around 650 new jobs.

The list below details the 26 seaside resort and coastal towns where Travelodge is looking to open a hotel:

1. Aberystwyth

2. Bognor Regis

3. Bournemouth

4. Bude

5. Canterbury / Whistable

6. Deal / Sandwich

7. Eastbourne

8. Falmouth

9. Folkestone

10.Guernsey

11.Hove

12.Jersey

13.Lerwick

14.Looe / Fowey

15.Lowestoft

16.Newquay

17.Oban

18.Penarth

19.Penzance

20.Pwllheli

21.Shoreham-by-Sea

22.St Ives

23.Tenby

24.Truro

25.Western Super Mare

26.Weymouth