People in Kent are "stepping up to the plate" and are ready to welcome tens of thousands of visitors when the Olympics get under way in 100 days' time.

That's according to bosses at Visit Kent, who say the county is well-placed to benefit from the world's biggest sporting spectacle this summer.

Helped by the Kent's proximity to the Games, many local hotels and bed and breakfasts are booking up fast – one already has 1,000 people booked to stay between the start of the Olympics on July 27 and the end of the Paralympics around six weeks later.

The opening ceremony will be held at the Olympic Stadium in just 100 days' time (London 2012)

A warm welcome

During the games, a team of around 250 volunteers will be on hand at key locations across the county, such as travel hubs, the paralympic road cycling events at brands hatch and various points along the torch relay route, including the overnight stops in maidstone and dover.

The so-called games time kent greeters will share their expert local knowledge and help promote some of the county's top tourist attractions.

Ms Roger said: "it's all about being part of something really big and getting involved in something that probably won't happen again in our lifetime."

Anyone interested in becoming a games time kent greeter has until next monday (april 30) to apply.

Meanwhile, more than 100 people have so far signed up to be Games Time Kent Greeters – an army of ambassadors who will share their passion for Kent and expert local knowledge with visitors to the county.

Sally Roger, project manager for London 2012 at Visit Kent, said: "Today is such an exciting day. We're really looking forward to the challenge and to welcoming the world to Kent this summer.

"In terms of what the Olympics mean to Britain, it's enormous. We want people to be greeted in the best way possible and that means plenty of training and preparation behind the scenes."

An estimated 240,000 people will pass through Kent during the Games, arriving by ferry, Eurostar or Eurotunnel.

Many are expected to stay in Kent and to travel into London from train stations including Ebbsfleet International – just 11 minutes from the Olympic Park at Stratford.

Southeastern said one in 10 spectators will make at least part of their journey on one of the high-speed 'Javelin' trains, which will run eight times an hour between central London and Ebbsfleet.

This will increase to 12 trains an hour between 11pm and 2am, when many people are expected to leave the Olympic Park.

Alison Nolan, customer relations manager at Southeastern, said all scheduled "heavy maintenance" would be completed before the Games, and explained that queuing arrangements would be in place at some stations to minimise disruption.

"It's an exciting time for the UK with London hosting the world's most spectacular sporting event and Southeastern is well prepared for the Games," she said.

"Some services will be busier than usual and the Get Ahead of the Games website contains useful planning advice including anticipated 'hot spots' on the network.

"For example, London Bridge station will be extremely busy and we're advising people avoid changing there and to consider using other stations such as Charing Cross or Cannon Street instead."