The boss of an organisation promoting tourism in the county has announced she is quitting after 13 years.

Sandra Matthews-Marsh said she was stepping down as chief executive of Visit Kent to focus on "new and exciting personal goals".

She joined the organisation after five years as a director at Leeds Castle and has contributed to a 50% growth in the county's visitor economy over the last decade.

She awarded an MBE for services to tourism in the Queen's Birthday Honours list in 2014 and was given an honorary doctorate from Canterbury Christ Church University last year.

Her role expanded to incorporate the chief executive post at Go to Places, an organisation created by Visit Kent, to deliver services to partners outside the county.

This included launching a similar organisation, Visit Hertfordshire, and providing research services.

Ms Matthews-Marsh said: “My 13 years at Visit Kent, and latterly Visit Herts and Go To Places, have brought me into contact with some amazing people and places.

"I now feel this is the right time for me personally, and it is the right time for the development of the company for a new leader to take it to the next stage.

“It has been an honour to lead a team delivering a highly effective and entrepreneurial not-for-profit destination management organisation in partnership with some wonderful organisations.

"I would like to thank all of them and my superb team for the support they have given me.

"I have witnessed many changes in the sector and have also seen the vitally important social, economic and community impact of the visitor economy.

"My career in tourism has spanned more than 30 years, I look forward to continuing to be involved in the sector because there is simply no other industry quite like it.”

Ms Matthew-Marsh will help with the search for a successor, which will be led by the nominations committee of the Visit Kent board, who will be supported by recruitment consultants in the non-profit sector.

Visit Kent chairman Jonathan Neame said Ms Matthews-Marsh has built the organisation "from very humble beginnings to the force that it is today".