The heatwave has sparked a dramatic rise in visitors to the Westcountry with numbers up nearly two-thirds on last year's washout summer.
The first prolonged spell of hot weather for seven years has revived a flagging tourism industry left in despair in June when forecasters predicted a miserable spell of wet and cold weather.
Sizzling temperatures and cloudless skies have banished thoughts of foreign trips and rekindled interest in 'staycations' with 62% more hits on the Visit Cornwall website last month compared to last year.
In Devon, tourism bosses are predicting a £640 million boost to the economy and expect two million holidaymakers in the region this year. Malcolm Bell, head of Visit Cornwall, said the sunshine had produced a remarkable "bounce" with 57,000 people viewing a promotional video on YouTube in July – the highest since its launch.
"People in the industry were becoming fatalistic that the weather had changed for good and it has been a real boost to know we are not set for dreary, rainy weather for the rest of our lives," he added.
"Six weeks ago people were 10% to 15% down and what's happened is a massive catch up – but there is still a way to go to get ahead.
"We have still got August and September and we want at least a classic British summer."
A survey by budget hotel giant Travelodge predicts the stay-at-home market this year will be bigger than ever.
The annual holiday index, a study surveying the holiday plans of 3,000 Britons, revealed that Cornwall is the fourth most popular destination, followed by Dorset, in sixth place, then Devon at number seven.
And with 2,116,800 people set to visit the region, and each visitor spending on average £308 on accommodation, dining, entertainment and local attractions, the total spend could reach £640 million.
The holiday study also revealed that 65% of British adults are choosing to holiday in the UK – a huge increase from last year when the figure was 41% and up again from 2011 when just 35% remained on home shores.
A third of British holidaymakers are including a short break in Devon as part of a tour around various locations, the survey found.
Visit Devon said booking levels for last month also look to have been boosted by the good weather with 46% more businesses reporting a year-on-year increase for July.
Chairman of Visit Devon Carolyn Custerson said: "Devon is continuing to prove an incredibly affordable and popular staycation holiday option and this latest spell of great weather has resulted in jumps of up to 20% in year-on-year bookings for the main school holiday period with confidence returning to get in the car or on the train and to holiday at home."
The effect is also being felt in the Duchy, where Julianne Shelton, managing co-director of luxury property company Cornish Gems, says visitor numbers, especially in St Ives where the season is in full swing, are well up.
She said: "Good weather leading up to the summer holidays has had a tremendous effect on bookings.
"St Ives in particular has attracted visitors, from families to couples taking last minute romantic breaks.
"We are now fully booked – it seems that people are choosing to book their annual holiday in Cornwall rather than going overseas for the fine weather."
The annual St Ives September Festival has this year been moved from the middle two weeks to the last two weeks of September to extend the season.
Alan Shepherd, festival chairman, said: "The festival is unusual in that it lasts for two weeks in one town – enabling us to incorporate hundreds of fantastic acts and encourage visitors over a prolonged period. Moving it to the end of the month extends the summer season right up until the end of September."
