The Westcountry will be the "place to be" this weekend, as some of the finest weather in the country combines with a wide range of events to entertain tourists.

Sunshine and pleasant temperatures will be punctuated by only the odd shower – but a plethora of activities should prove plenty to entertain visitors during occasional rains, in a bank holiday break which is worth £150 million to the South West's tourism economy.

Met Office spokesman Helen Chivers said the South West would be bright and dry, compared to elsewhere in the UK. She said: "The Westcountry is probably going to be the place to be, in all honesty. The sun is coming out, and it looks like it will stay with us all the way through the weekend.

"The further east and north you go, the more showers you're going to see all the way through the weekend. The winds are going to be blowing from the North, so we're getting a bit of shelter here in the South West."

But she said the odd shower would strike – particularly this afternoon. Overall, it should be a "pretty good day", with temperatures at around 19C (66F). The conditions will remain similar right through Monday, with less rainfall during the course of the long weekend.

Roads are expected to be busy in key areas such as Dartmouth, South Devon, where the annual Regatta will end today. Activities will include a display from the RNLI and the Sea King 771 Squadron, as well as a Black Knights Parachute Display and a Typhoon fighter jet.

Also in South Devon, Aveton Gifford will host a classic car show on Monday, with 90 vehicles, as well as food and drink and family activities.

At Westpoint, near Exeter, the South West Motorcycle Show is expected to attract thousands of visitors, with a packed programme of stunts and exhibits today and tomorrow. At Whitecross, near Wadebridge, Kim Woodburn, best known for How Clean is Your House?, will inspect members' vehicles at the Goldwing Owners Club of Great Britain's rally and charity open day on Sunday.

And in Newquay, beach rugby will attract crowds at Lusty Glaze Beach throughout the weekend.

The weather news will come as a tonic to tourism businesses, who have had an "average" summer so far.

Tim Jones, of the Devon and Cornwall Business Council, said the true value to the region was close to £200 million, after spin-off revenue boosts were taken into account.

He said: "This weekend is absolutely vital. It's true that a lot of people have stayed in the UK, but that doesn't mean they have all piled down to the Westcountry – many have decided not to go away at all. This good weather forecast could make all the difference to people adjusting their plans at the last minute. Everything is in place to make the most of it – what we need to do now is make sure that the infrastructure works. We can't have people sitting in traffic for six hours or more for a short break away. We need to make sure they get here quickly, have a great stay and that they want to come back next year."

Yesterday, a Highways Agency spokesman said new bank holiday measures had been introduced over the past few years, including a leaflet which highlights peak travel times.