Chance to share passion for Kent
Jun 5, 2009
Kent people with a passion for their county and spare time to share their enthusiasm with visitors are invited to become part of a new Kent Greeters network.
The countywide network is being established by Visit Kent following two successful pilot projects in East Kent which enable visitors to meet a local volunteer who shares their interests.The Thanet scheme, the first in Europe, was inspired by the success of the Big Apple Greeters who have become an essential feature of any visit to New York.
The Thanet Greeters started taking bookings to meet UK and overseas visitors early last year and this spring saw the start of the White Cliffs Greeters programme covering the Dover, Deal and Sandwich area.
Head of Visit Kent at Kent County Council Fran Warrington said: "A meeting with a greeter is the fast-track to a great holiday or short break in Kent.
"Just a short discussion with a local person who shares your interests - be it looking for family-friendly attractions, seeking out the sites, celebrating local historic events, planning a walk in the countryside or discovering the most scenic cycle routes and golf courses makes all the difference."
She said volunteer greeters would be given full training and support and should register any of their specific interests and areas of expertise - such as sport, local history, archaeology or rural pursuits.
A visitor to Kent on booking a greeter meeting is matched with a local with shared interests.
The Kent Greeters are part of the Celebrating Kent campaign by Visit Kent at Kent County Council.
The authority is working with businesses and residents to raise awareness of the importance of the tourism, leisure and hospitality industry to the local economy in the run-up to the London Olympic Games in 2012.
More than 45 million people visit Kent every year and the county is expecting an influx of visitors this summer.
The authority is expecting more people from the UK to take their holiday closer to home this year and for overseas tourists to take advantage of the favourable exchange rates and visit Britain.
Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer is invited to one of three meetings. They are not area specific, so people can choose the most convenient.
The Kent Greeters meetings will be held on: Wednesday, July 8, at 6pm, at Westgate Hall, Westgate Hall Road, Canterbury; Wednesday, July 22, at 6.30pm, at the Camden Centre, Royal Victoria Place, Tunbridge Wells; and Wednesday, July 29, at 6pm, at the Gravesend Towncentric, St George's Square, Gravesend.
To book a place, call Visit Kent on 01622 696936.
