by Martin Jeffries

A Kent tourism campaign marketing the county as "cool and contemporary" pulled in an extra 415,000 visitors last summer.

Figures released by Visit Kent today also reveal that tourists spent an extra £18 million - almost 50 times more than the 'Kent Contemporary' campaign cost.

Posters and billboards featuring images of top tourist attractions like Hever Castle, near Edenbridge, and Botany Bay, near Broadstairs, were displayed at underground and train stations across London and the south east.

According to the figures, the campaign generated around 220,000 extra overnight stays and 195,000 more day trips between last May and September.

Sandra Matthews-Marsh, chief executive at Visit Kent, said: "This groundbreaking campaign is already proving its worth to the county.

"As we move forward, we're looking to work with even more tourism, leisure and hospitality businesses and organisations committed to growing our economy."