insideKENT Magazine Issue 35 - February 2015 | Page 15

NEWS

TOURISM THRIVING IN ASHFORD

Ashford has a thriving visitor economy, says a
new report, and the fast-growing Kent town is
keen to develop a number of ‘quick-win’ projects
to attract even more tourists to this corner of the
Garden of England.
One of the short-term projects that Ashford
Borough Council is proposing is a wine trail,
whereby visitors use a digital app and a brochure
to guide themselves around the vineyards in
Tenterden and the surrounding villages.
The council is also looking to support a marketing
campaign led by Visit Kent to attract more Chinese
visitors to Kent, as the borough has a number of
products such as the Ashford Designer Outlet
and award-winning vineyards that are proving
highly attractive to that market.

The council’s ambitions to lure more visitors to
the area have been revealed following an extensive
consultation with tourism organisations such as
Visit Kent, Tourism South East, and the Ashford
and Tenterden Tourism Association, as well as
local tourism businesses.
The review, undertaken by the council’s Portfolio
Holder for Tourism, Cllr Clair Bell, provided clear
evidence that Ashford’s tourism service is
performing well. The review will now help shape
the Tourism Action Plan for the next five years,
helping to create an ever-improving visitor scene
for Ashford.
Responding to the feedback, Ashford Borough
Council has identified a number of ‘quick-win’
projects, including the wine trail initiative and the
focus on the Chinese market.

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An allocation from the New Homes Bonus budget,
originally earmarked for undertaking the review,
will be used to fund the initiatives.
Many local businesses have agreed to join the
council in developing these aspirations. Some
projects and initiatives will begin right away, while
others linked to major developments will take
longer to come to fruition.
Cllr Clair Bell said: “The value of tourism in Ashford
cannot be underestimated; Ashford accounts for
thousands of jobs and contributes significantly
to Kent’s economy. The review has clearly
demonstrated the council’s commitment to
supporting and investing in our visitor economy..."
For more information about Ashford,
visit www.ashfordfor.com.