Several firms now have regional or, as in the case of McCarthy & Stone and the Portman Building Society, their national headquarters in the town.

JP Morgan (previously Chase Manhattan Bank) established their Global Technology Hub in Bournemouth in the 1980s. The Portman Building Society have also invested heavily in the town and have recently moved into new £25m headquarters in the town centre.

Although tourism is still vitally important to Bournemouth, the banking, finance and insurance sector is now the most valuable sector within the economy in terms of GDP (Gross Domestic Product). Other major growth sectors since 1991 have been Public Administration, Education and Health (25.6% increase). The emphasis is on high quality service-sector employment, reaping the benefits of a skilled local workforce combined with low wage-rates relative to national levels. This growing diversity and increased economic strength is actively promoted by Bournemouth Borough Council, who are playing a fundamental role in the continued success of the local economy.