It is expected over 200,000 people will visit Carnoustie during the four days of the competition, with significant numbers staying in the City of Discovery.

“There will be an increase in businesses for restaurants, hotels, shops and other businesses in Broughty Ferry and Dundee during The Open,” said Dundee Area Tourism Partnership golf ambassador Stuart French.

“The revenue from The Open at St Andrews in 2005 was £23.1 million for St Andrews and Fife, so for Angus and Dundee this year, the figure will be around £25 million.

“The message today to B&Bs, hotels, restaurants and taxi firms in Dundee is to think about how they can work with each other and help visitors to The Open.

“It’s about things like restaurants staying open later, or B&B owners being prepared to ferry people about during the championship.

“One of the big things is trying to encourage visitors to come back to the area in the future. That means looking after customers and not inflating prices or anything like that.”

He added, “Ensuring that visitors to the area during the tournament experience first-class treatment will encourage return visits in the future and strengthen the area's tourism industry on a long-term basis.”

Carnoustie will become the focus of the golfing world in mid-July when The 136th Open Championship is held on the Angus links.

The tournament generates massive revenues — businesses close to last year’s championship venue at Hoylake saw as much as five months’ takings through the tills in just four days.

Dundee’s economic development convener Councillor Joe Morrow said city businesses had to be ready to exploit the market at its height.

He said, “The Open represents a terrific opportunity for local Dundee businesses to find out a little more about making best use of the opportunities that hosting one of the world’s biggest sporting events represents.”

Today’s workshop was the latest in a series of events addressing the economic advantages of The Open. Businesses in Angus have already been given similar advice.