Travelodge has announced plans for 55 new hotels in coastal towns in the UK by 2015.
The budget hotel chain said the project would create an alternative for the 30% of Brits who are turning away from foreign travel this year. It is expected to create 1,000 new jobs in seaside resorts.
One hotel will open a month, on average, in locations including Blackpool, Weymouth, Newquay, Bournemouth and Scarborough.
Travelodge chief executive Grant Hearn said: “If ever there was a time to win back the Brits that have been tempted abroad by the budget airlines, it is now. Soaring air fares, an overpowering Euro and the credit crunch is changing holiday habits this summer and maybe for good.
“If we can provide quality accommodation, low prices and fantastic attractions, we can turn this opportunity into a lasting tourism legacy.”
Travelodge has launched a campaign to attract British holidaymakers back to the UK. Supporting the move, VisitBritain chief executive Tom Wright said: “Brits are too quick to head overseas for their summer break. Now is the time for the travel industry to get behind the campaign and turn the potential of a domestic tourism boom into a reality.”