KENT should be marketed more strongly as a single destination rather than a group of smaller areas.

That was the message from John Cotter, director of Hythe-based Marston Hotels, at the Business Travel Show.

The growing hotel group has exhibited at the show for the past seven years, and has consistently achieved good business leads. This year was no different.

"We've seen an awful lot of interest in Kent," said Mr Cotter, whose hotel group includes the Hythe Imperial and Bridgewood Manor, Chatham.

But he is concerned about the county's marketing effort, claiming that the messages are diffused, with county and districts together creating a mixed image.

"I fully support our local tourist initiatives, our local council initiatives, but let's pull together and sell as one big organisation rather than lots of little regions all trying to get a piece of the action," he said.

"We need to go back and look at the whole of Kent and re-brand it as Kent and stop all this North, South, East and West. Let's pool all our resources and get our there and sell it.

"People understand there are certain icons - the White Cliffs, HMS Victory [built in Chatham and now on show in Portsmouth], Biggin Hill and National Trust properties.

"We've got so many good facilities, so many good conference centres, we should really be pushing them as a whole."

He said the Kent Tourism Alliance (KTA) was okay but all the agencies needed to get together "under one umbrella". It was too "fragmented" at the moment.

"Kent is one of the few centres that's got everything - you just need someone to pull it all together," he said.

Brent Pollard, owner of the Hop Farm County Park, Paddock Wood, and new KTA chairman, dismissed Mr Cotter's criticism.

He said: "He's missing the point. We've spent a million quid marketing Kent and we have a cohesive guide."

Sandra Matthews-Marsh, KTA chief executive, claimed that her organisation, formed three years ago, had pulled things together.

Some of the largest tourist businesses in the county are active KTA supporters, she said, with many investing substantial sums. But Marston Hotels is not one of them.

KTA marketed the county globally but visitors often wanted to know about specific destinations within the county.

"There is a plan for all levels of marketing," she said, adding that she would be contacting Mr Cotter and urging his group to play a more active role in the KTA.