Press Information Pack 2016 1 www.visitkent.co.uk
Why Kent? Kent, the Garden of England, is the jewel of the South East. Nestled between London and the continent, Kent is world renowned for its rural beauty, rich heritage, spectacular coastline, and artistic heart. Here you will discover the White Cliffs of Dover, staggering castles and cathedrals, award-winning vineyards, unspoiled villages, and culture-rich cities. The world drinks our wine, blockbusters are filmed on our shores, and history was made on our soil. Benefitting from the fastest domestic & international rail links in the country, Kent is the perfect destination for day trips and short-breaks and offers a wealth of options for longer stays. Choose from luxury hotels, cosy pubs, safari lodges or cliff-top tepees. Whether you want to explore modern art galleries or historic landmarks, find a romantic retreat or enjoy a fun-filled family break, laze in a luxury spa breaks or learn to surf Kent has it all. There a few places where London is so close, and yet feels so far away. Taste salt-spray. Smell apple blossom. Drink history. Rediscover you. 2 www.visitkent.co.uk
Where is Kent? Kent is located in the southeast corner of England, just 30mins drive from London. Access to Kent is easy with the high speed rail link direct from central London (37mins to Ashford, 56mins to Canterbury), or by car via the M20 or M2. The county also has enviable fast links to mainland Europe via The Port of Dover, Channel Tunnel Folkestone, and Eurostar (Ashford & Ebbsfleet), and has good access to London Heathrow and London Gatwick. Kent is an easy day-trip for London-based tours, and is also an excellent, cost-effective base for people wanting to visit the capital. It is ideally places for visits from France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. 3 www.visitkent.co.uk
Iconic Attractions The White Cliffs of Dover Canterbury Cathedral Britain s oldest Cathedral Leeds Castle Kent has more castles and historic houses than any other county in the UK Dover Castle Stunning National Trust and English Heritage properties Famous Faces Charles Dickens Geoffrey Chaucer Charles Darwin Sir Winston Churchill Henry VIII and the Tudors Ian Fleming/James Bond Jane Austen Tracey Emin Magnificent Coastline & Countryside The famous White Cliffs of Dover 15 sandy bays across Margate, Broadstairs & Ramsgate Kite surfing, sailing, jet skiing, surfing Boat Trips to seal colonies, wind farms and sea forts Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty More conservation areas than any other county in England The Garden of England More than 180 gardens to choose from, including Sissinghurst Gardens and small, family run gardens like Goodnestone Park and Hole Park 4,273 miles of footpaths and cycle routes More than 90 different golf courses, home to the British Open in 2011 Food and Drink Award-wining vineyards: Chapel Down, Biddenden, Hush Heath Romney Marsh lamb, Dover sole and Whitstable oysters Real ales from Shepherd Neame, Britain s oldest brewer. Over 2,300 different varieties of apple at Brogdale s National Fruit Collection Michelin star restaurants: The West House, The Sportsman, Thackerey s and Apicius Unique Accommodation Book your own oast house Glamping in wild animal park, nature reserves and stunning coast spots Luxurious accommodation in Leeds Castle, Hever Castle, and Dover Castle Fishermen s huts 4 www.visitkent.co.uk
Arts, Culture & shopping Turner Contemporary Art Gallery, Margate Creative Quarter, Folkestone Marlow Theatre and Gulbenkian Theatre, Canterbury The Beaney House of Art & Knowledge, Canterbury Maidstone Museum & Bentlif Art Gallery Powell-Cotton Museum at Quex Park Bluewater McArthur Glen Ashford Designer outlet Family Attractions Dover Castle Leeds Castle, Maidstone The Historic Dockyard, Chatham Port Lympne Reserve and Howletts Wild Animal Park Canterbury Tales, Canterbury Dreamland Margate Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway Feature ideas For more inspiration, please browse some of our travel trade itineraries at www.visitkent.co.uk/trade Year of the English Garden 2016 Kent has more than 180 gardens to visit, offering dazzling colours, seductive scents, and superb seasonal shows. Seasonal calendars of blooms and shows are available, and the Garden also has an abundance of fresh produce for a features with a foodie twist and quirky stories from gardeners and producers across the county. Winter in Kent many Kent attractions offer a glowing welcome throughout the season with lots of special events bringing festive cheer. Enjoy the unique treats of the Garden of England sparkling with frost, winter-warming fare, cosy pubs, and feel-good escapes on the coast. Wine country & foodie experiences - Tour Kent s numerous award-winning vineyards and sample sparkling wine that experts place on a par with Champagne. Vineyards such as Chapel Down, Biddenden and Hush Heath offer guided tours and tutored tastings, which can easily be combined with wider food and drink tours of the county s excellent restaurants, gastro pubs and farmers markets Literary Kent - Come and be inspired, like so many great writers, by Kent s idyllic rural landscapes, captivating cities, castles and gardens. Visit the former haunts of Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Ian Fleming and Geoffrey Chaucer.
What s new in 2016? Year of the English Garden A national campaign, led by Visit England, highlighting and celebrating the country s fabulous gardens and events which aims to inspire additional and extended overnight visits during 2016. As the Garden of England, Kent has a huge and varied garden product which is already world renown. Kent is also the proud winner of the Garden Tourism Destination of the Year 2016 award through the International Garden Tourism Network. The campaign will raise the profile of Kent gardens further in UK and Europe by promoting Kent short break garden itineraries, individual gardens and events. Spring 2016 - Command of the Ocean Project, the Historic Dockyard Chatham The Historic Dockyard Chatham can fully reveal - for the first time - Chatham s complete and truly astonishing story during the age of sail following a multimillion pound redevelopment. In 2016, the Dockyard will reveal its brand new visitor entrance and exhibitions depicting the age of sail. Using the latest interactive exhibition design and technology, two internationally significant maritime archaeological discoveries will be brought to life: the timbers of Namur (1756) laid to rest beneath the floor of the Wheelwrights shop, and the Invincible (1758) collection of objects recovered from the sea bed. These brand new exhibits will be central to the superb new interactive galleries, and new visitor facilities including a new car park, entrance, restaurant shop and a free to enter discovery centre (encouraging the exploration of other local heritage sites) will complete the transformation of The Historic Dockyard Chatham s visitor experience. The Historic Dockyard is the finest example of a Dockyard of the age of sail anywhere in the world and is already an acclaimed visitor destination and thriving filming location for TV and big screen perhaps best known as a key location for Call the Midwife. The Yarrow Hotel, Broadstairs A brand new hotel for Kent opening summer 2016 a historic Grade II Listed building is being transformed a luxurious hotel by East Kent College as a four star training hotel for its hospitality and tourism students. Setting a high standard of service and customer care, The Yarrow will be a jewel in the charming coastal town of Broadstairs with a spa, a hair and beauty salon and a 64 seat restaurant, headed up by renowned executive chef Ben Williams. Turner Contemporary 5 th Birthday Margate s stunning cultural landmark celebrates its fifth anniversary with spectacular new exhibits. Designed by multi award-winning architect David Chipperfield, the gallery is a stunning addition to the seafront and overlooks the same views that Britain s best-loved painter JMW Turner enjoyed as a frequent visitor to the town. After a phenomenally successful programme in 2015, Turner Contemporary has an ambitious fifth anniversary programme, which will include exhibitions by Joachim Koester, JMW Turner and Rose Wylie, as well as a large group show including work by
Barbara Hepworth, Anish Kapoor and Paul Nash. To celebrate the exhibition and the anniversary, the gallery and partners intend to recreate the paddle steamer journey JMW Turner used to make from London to Margate, for the media autumn 2016. Knole House After two years of work as part of Knole s five year Heritage Lottery funded project, in March 2016 the National Trust property opens a world-class conservation studio, conserving items from the grand house s collection in front of visitors. Also opening will be the refurbished and extended Brewhouse Café and the Gatehouse Tower with commanding views of Knole s medieval deer park and an insight into twentieth century living at Knole in rooms once inhabited by Eddy Sackville-West. Dreamland 1 st birthday and Phase 2 Openings The opening of Dreamland Margate in 2015 was one of the biggest travel stories of the year, as the UK's original Pleasure Park was re-imagined and reopened as an old fashioned yet oh so fashionable seaside attraction ready to welcome a new generation of fun-seeking visitors to retro rides (including the Scenic Railway, the UK s oldest roller coaster), vintage designs, and stylish events. Work on the park continues in 2016. The Dreamland Diner opened in February and further work expected this year includes renovation to the main building façade, bingo hall and arcade, new rides and the development of inside and outside spaces for festivals and large-scale events. Walmer Castle Renewed The displays at English Heritage s Walmer Castle and Gardens have been transformed with new interpretations and multimedia guides giving insights into the castles history from Tudor times onwards. Exhibitions cover its role as home of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, with famous residents including the Duke of Wellington, William Pitt the Younger and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Newly opened, after a four-year restoration programme, is the Broadwalk Garden with a magnificent double herbaceous border planted in a style inspired by garden designer Gertrude Jekyll. Memorial to Geoffrey Chaucer A 10ft bronze statue of Geoffrey Chaucer author of The Canterbury Tales is due to be installed and unveiled in Canterbury city centre in October 2016. The statute will overlook the former pilgrims way (now the city s pedestrianised high street) where thousands of medieval travellers took the final steps of their journey from London to Canterbury Cathedral. The statue has been commissioned by Canterbury Commemoration Society to celebrate the author s genius and links to Canterbury. The plinth (in the shape of a horse s hoof) will depict the pilgrims described in The Canterbury Tales, some of which will be updated to resemble the project s donors, including Canterbury-raised actor Orlando Bloom.
COMING SOON 2017 2018 400 th anniversary of Pocahontas death (Gravesend) 350 th Anniversary of the Battle of Chatham - part of the 2 nd Anglo Dutch War, a successful attack on the largest English naval ships in the main base of Chatham. Medway in Flames will be a major commemorative event for the area. 400 th Anniversary of the Historic Dockyard, Chatham Expansion of Ashford Designer Outlet the second phase of its development with a further 30 shops and stunning outside space is due to open late 2018 In case you missed it in 2015 Kent named Best Destination in Europe for families by Lonely Planet Opening of Dreamland Margate Magna Carta 800 major commemorations across Kent to mark the 800 th anniversary of the sealing of the Magna Carta in 1215 including national trail and audio visual touring exhibition. The new Treehouse Hotel at Port Lympne Reserve Opening of Royal Wells Hotel, Tunbridge Wells Second World War Tunnels open to the public on White Cliffs of Dover
Key annual events Kent hosts hundreds of exciting events throughout the year. For a comprehensive events listing search our extensive events database at www.visitkent.co.uk or contact us for more details. Some annual events include: March Spring Gardens (various locations) May Gravesham Heritage Festival Gravesend Sweeps Festival Rochester June Dickens Festival Rochester Broadstairs Dickens Week Broadstairs Medway Fuse Festival Rochester Rose Festival Hever Castle July Whitstable Oyster Festival Whitstable Lounge on the Farm Canterbury Cherry Festival Brogdale Kent County Show Maidstone War and Peace Show August Broadstairs Folk Week Broadstairs Jousting tournaments Hever Castle Jousting tournaments Leeds Castle September Hop Festivals (various locations) Salute to the 40 s The Historic Dockyard Chatham Canterbury Food and Drink Festival Canterbury October Broadstairs Food and Drink Festival Autumn Flower Festival Leeds Castle Canterbury Festival November Folkestone Book Festival December Christmas Carol concerts, Rochester & Canterbury Cathedrals
What can Visit Kent do to help? Our PR team is happy to create bespoke press trips to suit your publication or feature needs, and can liaise with all suppliers to ensure you get the best out of your trip to The Garden of England. We welcome pitches from bloggers and vloggers, and can support trips through social media and with bespoke digital activity. We can assist with: Story ideas & feature planning Itineraries for press trips Familiarisation visits Introductions to attractions, accommodation and destinations Hi-res images Regular news updates and social media liaison Meals, accommodation and public transport Who do I contact for more information? Sinead Hanna PR and Marketing Manager Email: Sinead.hanna@visitkent.co.uk Tel: 01227 812914 Mobile: 07788 315744 Please visit www.visitkentbusiness.co.uk for media & industry updates