Businesses have been "complacent" in their efforts to attract customers after Brexit, says a top official.

Deirdre Wells OBE, chief executive of Visit Kent, called for a strategy of being "aggressively welcoming" to help keep the county's tourism industry afloat.

Speaking on the KM Community Podcast, she raised concerns some businesses had assumed the tourism industry would not be affected when the UK eventually leaves the European Union.

Mrs Wells said: "We need to be more aggressively welcoming, if I can put it that way.

"I think there's probably been a bit of complacency in the UK generally, not just in terms of Kent, that people will come anyway."

In January, Visit Kent revealed the tourism industry in the county was worth 3.8bn in 2017, with a record 65 million annual visitors.

The 51-year-old added: "I think there's a suite of things that we've probably taken for granted over many years, whether we're travelling abroad, or people are coming here - anything from driver's licenses to health insurance."

Listen to Deirdre Wells talking Kent tourism and Brexit on the KM Community Podcast

Mrs Wells also warned of rushing into a Brexit deal, which will not sufficiently support business across the UK.

The chief executive said: "I'm sure I'm echoing what every industry leader would say - the sooner we know what the hell is going on the better because it allows people to plan.

"But I would also caution people rushing for a deal that is sub-optimal.

"You want something that's going to work for the UK for the long term, and that is going to reinforce that message that we are open and welcoming."

"We have a duty, because we are on the frontline of the country, to be able to ensure that our welcome is first class" - Deirdre Wells

The Port of Dover is the busiest passenger port in the world, providing a gateway to the UK for tourists from mainland Europe.

Mrs Wells said: "I think we have a duty almost, because we are on the frontline of the country, to be able to ensure that our welcome is first class.

"Whether that's the logistics, or whether that's the attitude of our port authorities and our border force, but also every single person that's in a coffee shop or a hotel that really goes out of their way."

There are a number of big events happening in Kent in the coming months including Charles Dickens' 150th anniversary, the Turner Prize in Margate, and the 149th Open golf tournament in Sandwich.

Visit Kent hopes these events are an opportunity to showcase the value the county has to people visiting.

KMTV told Brexit could cost Kent's tourism sector millions

Mrs Wells added: "We can either hunker down and just hope the damage isn't too bad or we can think, no, we actually need to rebuild and use these big events to go, 'we're here, we're welcoming.'

"We're open, we're proud."

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