Budget hotel chain Travelodge will open its latest Kent outlet today - and says it is actively look for ten more.

The firm will cut the ribbon on its second hotel in Ashford when it unveils the town centre site at the £75million Elwick Place development.

Travelodge's new venue will offer 58 rooms and on-site restaurant.

The £5m hotel has created 19 new jobs.

Kent has long been in need of more hotel space and the company is just one of a number of firms looking to move into the county.

Tourism chiefs underlined earlier this year that it wants to convert some of the record number of day trippers to the county into overnight stays in order to pump more money into the local economy.

Travelodge has made no secret of its desire to expand into the county and is expected to announce further growth plans at the Ashford opening this afternoon (Thursday).

It has previously said it was looking to expand into Canterbury, Dartford, Folkestone, Maidstone, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Herne Bay or Whitstable, Deal or Sandwich, and Bluewater or Ebbsfleet.