Chiefs of a number of Kent's tourist hot-spots met with the Minister of Tourism, Nigel Huddleston, as he made a visit to the county.

He visited last week as part of the English Tourism Week celebrations and received a tour from Deirdre Wells, the chief executive of Visit Kent, the county's tourism organisation.

His tour started with a visit to Sandwich's Royal St George's Golf Club to see preparations for this summer's Open tournament.

He also met with representatives from Dover District Council, Shepherd Neame, vineyard the Gusbourne Estate, Creative Folkestone and received a tour of Folkestone's new urban sports park, F51, which is due to open in this autumn.

Visit Kent's CEO, Deirdre Wells, said: “We were delighted the Minister could join us in Kent and to see, at first hand, our ambition for Kent’s visitor economy as we begin the slow road to recovery. We were particularly pleased to be able to showcase our plans to maximise the opportunity which the Open will bring to the county, as well as the cultural and culinary delights which make Kent the first choice for many visitors.

"During an extremely difficult year for the industry, the Minister has been a strong advocate for the sector, and we are extremely grateful for the support from him and the DCMS team. We look forward to working with them to rebuild a more sustainable future.”

Tourism Minister Nigel Huddleston added: "There is so much to do in this wonderful part of the UK, from golf to wine tasting to beaches, and it's brilliant to see the South East ready to welcome back visitors. Kent really does have something for everyone, and I am grateful to Visit Kent for the important role they play in showcasing all it has to offer. Every ticket sold, meal eaten, or hotel room booked will help this brilliant sector build back better."

Head to our business page for all of the latest news about businesses in Kent