The county’s tourism agency has unveiled its five-year plan to boost Kent’s tourism numbers - and top of the list is challenging negative perceptions would-be visitors may have.

These include tackling media coverage of issues such as traffic delays on our roads - particularly around the M25 and Dartford Crossing - polluted waterways and seas and even small boats arriving on our shores.

Other gripes include a lack of accommodation options, no international stops anymore in the county by Eurostar, a perception that the county is expensive and the challenge of being close to rivals such as London and mainland Europe.

The Destination Management Plan has been launched by Visit Kent, based in Canterbury, which champions the county’s tourism offering.

It is estimated some 60 million visitors head to Kent each year, supporting a £3.8 billion contribution to the local economy and almost 75,000 jobs - some 10% of all jobs in the county.

The plan, which draws on a range of local and national data, examines current opportunities and challenges for Kent and Medway and sets out a shared vision for the destination over the next five years.

In addition to tackling the challenges, it also looks to ensure the county takes advantage of its “booming wine industry, landscape, location and brand recogntion” to drive more year-round visits.

Deirdre Wells, CEO of Visit Kent, explained: “Supporting more than 10% of employment in the area, Kent’s visitor economy is a real asset to our county.

“What’s more, with perception research indicating that more than 85% of Kent residents support summer and winter tourism in their area, we know it is valued by our local communities, too.

“It is therefore of utmost importance that we continue to nurture this asset, working collaboratively with our local and national partners to grow it in a sustainable way, which supports our local communities, businesses and landscapes.”

Visit Kent says it will collaborate with national partners, VisitEngland, in addition to a number of “key Kent stakeholders” to help deliver its “flexible and scale-able plan” and ensure the activity has the greatest impact over the next five years.

Andrew Stokes, England director of VisitEngland, said: “Great destinations are great places to live and work as well as to visit and strong governance can drive place-shaping and shift local and wider perceptions of the place which can contribute to local pride.

“Well run destinations can also attract new investment, increase income and create new jobs. At VisitEngland, we look forward to working with the Visit Kent nd their partners to help realise the ambitions set out in this strategy.”

Neil McCollum, head of historic properties for English Heritage in Kent, added: “We are a key stakeholder with multiple sites across the county and we are supportive of all efforts to grow the local visitor economy.

“We believe this plan represents a great opportunity for Kent to capitalise on emerging opportunities in the sector as well as support businesses and provide employment opportunities. The plan also complements English Heritage’s mission to ensure that heritage is something that everyone in our community can enjoy, learn and benefit from.”