Kent’s high speed rail service is set to invest in tourism partnership Visit Kent to promote the county.

High Speed 1 is now an investor partner with the not-for-profit organisation, which is funded through the public and private sector.

Also joining Visit Kent are two of the county’s historic houses.

Jacobean home Godinton House, near Ashford, is known for its medieval hall while Chiddingstone Castle, near Edenbridge, shows off to tourists its collections of Egyptian, Japanese and Buddhist artefacts.

Based in Canterbury, Visit Kent markets the county’s tourism destinations at travel and trade fairs in the UK, the US and mainland Europe, alongside organisations like VisitBritain and VisitEngland.

Visit Kent chief executive Sandra Matthews-Marsh said: “We are always delighted to welcome new investors keen to showcase our county and its wide range of attractions and experiences.

“Time and again these special partnerships enable Kent and its individual businesses to punch well above their weight on the European and UK stage as well as further afield.

“The enthusiasm of our investors, and their tremendous creativity, is what really impresses everyone who comes into contact with Visit Kent – from key travel trade buyers to our individual visitors.

“And this is why Visit Kent is considered by VisitEngland to be an example of a best practice destination management organisation with other areas of the country, which no longer benefit from generous public funding, now following in our footsteps.”

More than 3,000 tourism, leisure and hospitality businesses contribute £3.4 billion to the Kent economy each year and support more than 63,000 jobs.