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Parliamentary candidate for Folkestone and Hythe, Damian Collins, with Tobias Ellwood MP, Shadow Minister for Tourism, and, representatives from Visit Kent, Go Folkestone, Tourism South East, Discover Folkestone and Eurotunnel attended the meeting.

Mr Collins said: “Tourism has long been a vital part of our local economy. It supports hundreds of businesses, large and small, creating jobs and bringing money into the community.

[left to right) Damian Collins (Parliamentary Candidate), Ann Berry (Go Folkestone), Tobias Ellwood MP (Shadow Minister for Tourism), Fran Warrington (Visit Kent), John Williams (Chairman, Tourism South East), Michael Bedingfield (Chief Executive, Tourism South East), Sandra Matthews-Marsh (Chief Executive, Visit Kent), Chris Kirkham (Discover Folkestone), Sonia Limbrick (Eurotunnel)

In this deep economic recession its vital that we do all we can to support local businesses and promote tourism. This is particularly important in the period leading up to the 2012 Olympic Games. We should also make sure that we make the most of the new opportunities that could come from the High Speed Rail service to London..

“We need creative thinking to ensure we can attract visitors to the area and that they stay and come back. For example, thorough the work of campaign groups like ‘Step Short’, could we offer more to attract to Folkestone the 500,000 Britons a year who visit the First World War Battlefields, when this was the place where millions of men crossed the channel to go to the trenches. I am also interested in the suggestion of Eurotunnel that the 2012 Olympic torch could enter England through the Channel Tunnel.”

Tobias Ellwood said: "It was great to see the work taking place on regeneration in Folkestone and I was delighted to be able to spend time talking to the people who are leading the way in promoting Kent and the South East to domestic and international visitors."