Visit Kent has gone into receivership with immediate effect today (Wednesday 3 September).
Kent County Council, which has been a core investor and key partner of Visit Kent since its inception, says it is “a significant loss to the county.”
Umbrella company Go To Places is the Local Visitor Economy Partner (LVEP) for both Visit Kent and Visit Hertfordshire. It has instructed insolvency practitioners at Crowe UK LLP to prepare the company for liquidation due to “complex and challenging” circumstances in the tourism sector.
Visit Kent was responsible for supporting and growing the sizeable tourism industry in Kent with a visitor economy worth £4 billion and representing 11 per cent of all jobs in Kent.
The Visit Kent board will meet later this week to discuss a way forward as the organisation ceases operating immediately.
KCC Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Coastal Regeneration Paul King said: “This is a sad day for Kent and will undoubtedly impact the profile and marketing reach of our great county as a tourist destination.
“The Garden of England is a national treasure, but it still has to stand out in a hugely competitive market for people’s time and money and Visit Kent has served as an important champion in that regard.
“Government reductions in funding to Visit England have had wide reaching repercussions, and investment Visit Kent as our Local Visitor Economy Partnership had anticipated from Government, has therefore regrettably not come forward. The visitor economy of Kent is likely to suffer, impacting hundreds of local businesses as a result.
“We will be writing to Government to seek support for the sector, but our immediate priority is to support the board as arrangements are made for next steps with staff and forthcoming activities. We continue to be incredibly proud of Kent’s offer to visitors, and are determined that we find a way forward, with partners, that this can continue to be recognised.”
They did a brilliant job for Kent tourism. Really hope something gets sorted asap.
Is this the quality support being given by the Reform party as KCC?
Private company, government funding? I’d be extremely interested in seeing the profit and loss and balance sheet.
“complex and challenging” circumstances? That would be exactly the same circumstance we all suffered from and, for very many, without the protection of a limited company to let the directors avoid paying the price of their own ineptitude whilst dumping it on their creditors.
If Kent needs promoting it is the job of the councils, not private companies with fat salary packages and profits.
The Garden of England!.I think Garden Dump of England is more appropriate. Quite easily the dirtiest looking County in England.The A249/A299,M2 are shamefully the most littered roads I have ever seen.
For once I think Peter C has said something sensible.
There is a lot about Kent that is admirable and some things that are less admirable, but it does not do to harp on the latter, and always accentuate the negative.
We can fix the problems if politicians focus on the things they can do, and shouting about the things they can’t.