Tourism and Transport
As a major gateway to both the UK and to the Olympic Park in Stratford, Kent's tourism sector has been clear since the time London was still bidding to host the Games that there were big opportunities for the County. Measured across the four year build up to the Games, Games year itself PLUS the four years after the Games, Kent expects a 2% (£324m) growth in our tourism economy.
To do this, Visit Kent - working with a huge range of partners and investors - has had a three prong approach: Engaging Business, Engaging Residents, and Marketing to Visitors.
Engaging Business has included and continues to include targeted customer service training, a Fair Pricing Charter and accessibility audits on five key Kent tourism destinations.
Engaging Residents has included and continues to include Kent Greeters, My Kent Big Day Out and My Kent Big Weekend
Visit Kent have also written a useful Tourism Toolkit, which provides extensive information on how Kent businesses can fully engage in and experience the benefits of the 2012 Games.
Marketing to Visitors has included and continues to include a Campaign with Visit Britain, new promotional literature, a unique 2012-centred partnership with the Kent Messenger media group, Tour Operator Liaison and a new website.
Transport
London 2012’s current plans allow for up to 240,000 members of the public to access the Olympic Park by rail each hour, with remaining members of the public being encouraged to only use public transport, bicycles or feet to get there!
The Javelin service will be a temporary rail shuttle service for the Games operating from St. Pancras International to Ebbsfleet in Kent via Olympic Park, Stratford, delivering a capacity of up to 25,000 people an hour to and from Stratford International Station which is adjacent to the Olympic Park. Approximately 25 % of the Underground network is planned to be step free by 2012 so as to make transport to the Games as accessible as possible for the estimated 7 % of spectators who will have difficulty negotiating stairs and escalators.
The official Park and Rail for the Olympic Park will be Ebbsfleet, north Kent, delivering Kent residents to the heart of the Olympic Park in just 9 ½ minutes.
