VISITORS are being asked to pledge their love to Dorset in a new campaign.

Dorset Council has launched the 'Promise to Love Dorset' campaign which asks visitors to value the county;s environment, coastline and residents as record levels of tourists are expected to visit while international travel remains uncertain.

In response to behaviours of some visitors last year - namely anti-social behaviour, such as fires, littering, illegal camping and vehicles parked inconsiderately, the council has created five short videos with accompanying graphics in a bid to change visitors' attitudes through positive reinforcement rather than shaming them.

Councillor Noc Lacey-Clarke, Dorset Council's lead member for recovery, said: "We've working hard with our partners to make sure the tone of this campaign is appropriate for would-be visitors and has the desired outcome of changing behaviours.

"'Promise to Love Dorset' is based on evidence which shows us that the audiences we're targeting are the right ones.

"The figures we have been seeing since Easter indicates that many people are planning to holiday in Dorset over the summer and will understandably want to enjoy the outdoors.

"We're asking people when they are here in Dorset to act responsibly and respect our county - enjoy our beautiful places but leave no trace. They can do this by planning and preparing in advance for their visit.

"Visitors should be considerate towards our residents by ensuring cars are parked safely and do not obstruct people's homes or the emergency services."

The campaign has been backed by the National Trust, Forestry England and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).

Phil Sterling, chair of the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) partnership board, said: "I am really pleased to see this positive and upbeat campaign being launched.

"There has been a huge amount of hard work behind the scenes to get this stage and Dorset AONB is proud to have been a part of it.

"We hope the campaign will help influence and change visitor behaviour by encouraging people to think carefully about how they treat our precious landscapes so that everyone can enjoy the natural beauty of Dorset."

To find out more about the campaign, visit www.visit-dorset.com/promise-to-love-dorset