A £2m tourism campaign aims to support communities affected by recent floods and boost holiday booking ahead of Easter.

National tourism board Visit England said it was launching the £2m government funded campaign focusing on business support and a marketing campaign called 'Spot on England'.

It follows an announcement by the Department for Culture Media and Sport of a tourism package to help affected tourism businesses get back on their feet following recent floods.

While tourism businesses in the main have been unaffected by the severe weather conditions, recent research suggests 10% of consumers have been put off taking a trip to affected areas.

To combat this negative perception, VisitEngland is launching the campaign across Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands – as well as the UK domestic market.

Some 39 destination organisations around England taking part – including rural communities in south-west England which have been affected by floods.

VisitEngland's chief executive James Berresford said: "We welcome this additional funding from government to support the tourism industry.

It has enabled us to act fast, and together with our destination partners we are providing vital on the ground support to help businesses become more resilient against severe weather conditions.

The advertising campaign would support our efforts to reassure visitors that England remains a beautiful and exciting destination to visit this spring and summer, said Mr Berresford.

Local authorities said the initiative was well-timed.

West Dorset District Council leader Robert Gould said: "This campaign has been timed perfectly to get people to think about staying in the UK."

Councillor Gould added: "Dorset is an ideal location for an Easter break with the glorious countryside, stunning coastlines and great attractions."

The Visit Dorset tourism team is also promoting a free practical guide to support tourism destinations and businesses affected by recent severe weather.

The guide covers everything from assessing the situation, communicating with customers, reviewing marketing activity, government support and legal considerations.

The Dorset tourism partnership is made up of the district and borough councils from West Dorset, Christchurch, Purbeck, East Dorset and Weymouth & Portland.

The tourism team for West Dorset District Council and Weymouth & Portland Borough Council is co-ordinating this activity on behalf of the other rural Dorset local authorities.