£3bn coronavirus blow to county tourism

Kent’s tourism economy could lose

£3.2 billion this year, it has emerged.

About 65 million people visit the county each year, contributing almost £4 billion to the local economy over the 12-month period and supporting one in 10 jobs.

However, more than 90% of Kent’s tourism businesses are currently shut, including pubs and hotels, as the industry enters its peak season.

Visit Kent’s chief executive officer, Deirdre Wells, said: “As many businesses will need to operate with far less capacity, due to social distancing restrictions, there will clearly be an impact on revenue.”

The tourism juggernaut has forecast income losses varying between 30% and 80% over the next few months while further concerns have been raised about imposing social distancing measures in an “economically viable way”.

KCC’s main opposition leader, Cllr

Rob Bird (Lib Dem), said “time is of the essence” for the survival of Kent’s visitor economy during a virtual public meeting last week. However, Visit Kent’s chief executive officer says domestic tourism could quickly “rebound” and “staycations” could be rediscovered if Covid-19 infection rates remain low and a phased exit from the current lockdown takes place.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said holidays within the UK could return from July as part of “ambitious” Whitehall plans to revive the tourism sector quickly.

KCC’s scrutiny committee met virtually last Wednesday and members discussed the potential economic damage of Covid-19 on the tourism and leisure industry.

KCC’s former Lib Dem leader Trudy Dean called for urgent County Hall support. “Kent has a huge reliance upon tourism,” she said.

Cllr Bird added: “We need to see what damage has been done to our visitor economy and what steps are being taken to support in the recovery, and, we need to do that very quickly if we want to get our recovery right.”