OXFORD’S world class sporting facilities and tourist attractions and its proximity to London will play a key role in gaining a slice of the Olympics action, according to Tessa Jowell.

The Olympics minister visited the city today to inspect a business and a sports centre expected to help Oxford play a “very important role” in the 2012 games.

Three sports centres – Oxford University’s Iffley Road sports ground, Radley College’s sports centre and Alden Livery in Upton, near Didcot – have already been granted training camp status by London 2012 organisers.

The status means they could play host to Olympic athletes in the run up to the games.

Oxfordshire businesses are also expected to chase a slice of the £1.7bn worth of contracts still available for the games and Ms Jowell issued a rallying cry urging traders and residents in the city to throw their weight behind the games in order to share some of the money on offer.

She said: “Oxford and the surrounding areas are well placed to play a very important role in the London 2012 Olympics.

“There are three world-class sporting facilities, which could make excellent training camps. Who wouldn’t want to spend three months acclimatising in Oxfordshire before the games?

“The city is steeped in history and could be a wonderful tourist destination for thousands of people. Plus Oxford is only about an hour-and-a-quarter from London on the M40 so it’s close enough for visitors to explore.”

Ms Jowell visited Oxford Archaeology in Osney Mead, which has already won two Olympic contracts, before meeting Sir Roger Bannister at Iffley Road for a tour of the facilities.

She warned if Oxford is to benefit from the Olympics, it must “sell” its assets to competing nations who could set up base in the city for three months as they acclimatise for the games.

She said: “Oxford has these excellent facilities but now it has go show countries exactly what it can offer them. It needs to advertise itself.”

The running track and all-weather hockey pitch at Iffley Road have been given Olympic training camp status.

Director of sport Jon Roycroft said: “In order to get that status, you need to offer nearby accommodation for teams, which our colleges could do. I think teams would enjoy staying in Oxford, both for the facilities on offer and the city’s cultural heritage.”

Oxford City Council spokesman Louisa Dean said: “It’s great news that Tessa Jowell has seen what the city can offer in terms of supporting the Olympics.

“We already have nine million tourists visiting the city each year and we would anticipate this number would increase with thousands more visiting the city and wider Oxfordshire as well.

“We hope that this would generate millions of pounds for the Oxfordshire economy.”

Claire Prosser, policy executive at Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce, said Oxford would enjoy an “economic boom”.

She said: “Thousands of people will flock to the city, spending money in shops, restaurants and hotels. Everybody will benefit.

“Our businesses will benefit if they make sure they cater for tourists and athletes.”