Weymouth and Portland residents benefit from unique accommodation scheme
A new visitor accommodation scheme, the first of its kind to be accredited by the UK tourist industry, is putting money in the pockets of local people this summer.
Jennie Parsons and Sue Prescott have already experienced a steady flow of bookings into the new Weymouth & Portland Homestay scheme, which allows homeowners to offer a more personal approach to providing somewhere to stay during the Games.
Visitors from across the UK and overseas are making reservations to share the homes of local people, seeking to benefit from a friendly, flexible alternative to more traditional forms of accommodation.
In the past year, the scheme has already hosted a number of people, including American sailors and members of The Boat Project who confirmed that “they had a lovely, welcoming and comfortable stay!”
With 60,000 visitors a day expected during the Games, the Homestay scheme is a welcome addition to existing accommodation offerings around the Borough.
A typical Homestay host usually supplies one or two rooms to visitors with the guests breakfasting with the host family and sharing their bathroom and lounge. Weymouth and Portland Homestay’s aim is for visitors to have a home from home experience.
Homestay, which has been assessed under the Dorset Approved Visitor Accommodation Scheme (DAVAS), supported by VisitEngland and Destination Dorset, was set up to allow local householders to offer visitor accommodation whilst ensuring that minimum legal standards regarding fire regulations and insurance are met. It is the first, and so far the only, such scheme known to operate in the UK.
“We’re regularly receiving accommodation enquiries and bookings,” said Homestay’s Jennie Parsons. “At the current level of demand, we are keen to sign up more Homestay providers across Weymouth and Portland as soon as possible.”
Anyone interested in joining the Homestay scheme should contact Jennie Parsons on 01305 814030 or visit www.weymouthandportlandhomestay.com.