'We need to show people why they should continue to staycation here'
With restrictions being eased from today and the busy Easter period coming up, work is underway to try and spruce up Torbay.
Last updated 29th Mar 2021
The council have been carrying out repairs and extra cleaning, while also lifting beach huts into place.
Tourism bosses are braced for a huge rise in both day visitors and staycations across the resort this year.
They hope to impress the new audience - which year could be younger than usual, as people avoid booking trips abroad - and turn them into repeat visitors.
Kevin Mowat, Torbay council's director of place and is also on the board of the Riviera Bid company, said: "We can expect out day visitor market to return for Easter, for sure.
"We've got to make sure that all of the basics that we would do normally ahead of the season in any event are ready.
"We know from experience of last year when the restrictions were lifted we saw neighbouring resorts in particular Bournemouth were arguably inundated with day visitors, and we want to be ready for anything like that - that could happen this Summer.
"So, making sure our car parks are ready, making sure that our beaches are ready, making sure our other seasonal facilities like beach huts are sorted in time for Easter and the beginning of the season.
"It always clearly starts with Easter but then we've got the May Bank Holidays and then we get into the school holidays.
"The restrictions are being lifted, as we all know, gradually so we're hoping that the return to our resort the English Riviera will be a gradual one."