KENT’S HERITAGE COAST RECOGNISED AS ONE OF THE WORLD’S BEST REGIONS TO VISIT IN 2022 AS PART OF LONELY PLANET’S ‘BEST IN TRAVEL’ ROUND-UP

This announcement forms part of the global travel authority’s release of Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2022, which unveils its top 10 countries, cities, and regions to visit next year. The county of Kent, often referred to as The Garden of England, is the only UK destination to feature within this year’s illustrious round-up with a particular focus on Kent’s Heritage Coast.

Kent’s Heritage Coast was praised for its commitment to sustainable tourism initiatives, with the regeneration of the historic town of Dover, Creative Folkestone, plans to establish a Biosphere Reserve, and to secure the Strait of Dover as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, each recognised within the region’s entry.

The publisher also highlighted Kent’s involvement in the Interreg EXPERIENCE project within its entry, which supports local tourism and hospitality businesses in developing new, low-environmental impact, year-round tourism experiences.

Best in Travel 2022 is Lonely Planet’s 17th annual collection of the world’s hottest destinations and the must-have travel experiences for the year ahead. Nominations are received from Lonely Planet’s vast community of staff, writers, and publishing partners, before being whittled down by a panel of travel experts. Each destination is chosen for its topicality, unique experiences, ‘wow’ factor, and ongoing commitment to sustainable tourism practices.

Deirdre Wells OBE, Visit Kent Chief Executive, said: 

“We are incredibly excited and hugely honoured to see Kent’s Heritage Coast cited as one of Lonely Planet’s best travel destinations for 2022. This stretch of our glorious county is home to sandy beaches and iconic chalk faces, alongside thriving cultural hotspots and an exciting, rolling programme of events.

Our ongoing work with Kent’s tourism businesses and colleagues at the Kent Downs AONB – as part of the Interreg EXPERIENCE project – has allowed us to develop a host of brand-new products for market, which support our destination’s green recovery following the significant effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. We are continuing to stive for new, low-impact ways that visitors can experience the Garden of England in-line with changes in consumer demand, and ultimately look forward to welcoming visitors to enjoy Kent’s Heritage Coast first-hand in 2022 and beyond.”

This latest accolade comes at a particularly pertinent time as Kent’s tourism and hospitality sector, worth £4.1 billion to the local economy pre-pandemic, works to rebuild a vibrant and resilient industry for the future.

Visit Kent, the county’s official destination management organisation, will shortly be launching a partnership with Access Able to continue to improve accessibility across the county. This, along with plans to launch a sustainability pledge for consumers, are two examples of the ongoing commitment from Kent’s tourism and hospitality industry to ensure that visitors receive a welcoming, inclusive, and enjoyable experience, whilst ensuring that travellers have a positive impact for the future.