There are thousands of free tickets for Kent residents to book themselves a really great day out during the 2012 My Kent Big Weekend celebrations this spring.

From Monday, January 23, visitors to the special event website [4] will be able to apply for free tickets, two per Kent household, to more than 108 different attractions and experiences.

The website will be live for applications until midnight on Monday, February 13, to give everyone plenty of time to browse through this year’s bumper selection of days out – ranging from coach trips to France to visiting castles, gardens, historic houses, train and boat trips as well as many less familiar and new destinations.

Staff at visitor information centres across the county will be happy to help people without internet access select their destinations and apply for tickets.

After the website closes, tickets will be allocated on a ballot system in readiness for the My Kent Big Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, March 17 and 18 which marks the climax of the first English Tourism Week.

Sandra Matthews-Marsh, chief executive of the county tourism champions at Visit Kent, said: “This year there is a really amazing selection of places for local people to visit and enjoy.

“We launched this annual event to celebrate the importance of tourism to our county six years ago and I never dreamed that it would prove so popular – or that we would be sharing our great days out with our tourism partners in Nord Pas De Calais!

“Just looking through the website really brings home how much we have to celebrate in Kent and what a wealth of traditional and unusual attractions we have on our doorstep.”

Kent welcomes more than 56.6 million visitors every year contributing more than £3.2 billion to the local economy.

Visit Kent developed the Kent Big Day Out to showcase the county’s tourism, leisure and hospitality industry to local residents so that they could pass on good advice to visitors, friends and family seeking fun days out and interesting places to visit.

Research last year revealed that 80 per cent of people who visited an attraction during My Kent Big Weekend would revisit it on another occasion while a staggering 98 per cent said they would recommend it to their friends and family.

With an influx of visitors expected this year to celebrate the Dickens and Pugin bicentenaries, the 2012 London Games and the Cultural Olympiad and more, word of mouth recommendations are going to be very important.

“Kent is the Gateway to the Games – we will be welcoming visitors from across Europe. We will be entertaining everyone coming to soak up the atmosphere of 2012 in the relaxing atmosphere of Kent but with access to our excellent transport routes to Stratford and the city,” said Mrs Matthews-Marsh.

“We have some of the best sites and events possible for Dickens’ enthusiasts to visit and enjoy as well as major exhibitions at such destinations as Turner Contemporary and at The Historic Dockyard Chatham.

“All the research shows that the 'staycation' is going to be even more important this year as people seek days out from home or head off to explore other parts of England.

“It is always the people you meet when you are on holiday or short break that make places special. They are the ones to tell you about the best sites to see and the top bars and restaurants to visit.

“The My Kent Big Weekend will make sure we are able to give our guests good suggestions which they in turn will be able to pass on to their friends and families. I want Kent to be known for offering visitors the warmest welcome in England through 2012 and for many years to come.”
 

©Hawkinge Gazette and Channel Coast News 2012