Visit Kent tourism chiefs are celebrating the success of the county's second Big Day Out.

This year, as part of its Pride in Kent campaign, Kent County Council worked with 130 of the county's top attractions to make more than 16,000 free tickets available for local residents to visit iconic sites, such as Dover Castle and Canterbury Cathedral and many lesser-known hidden treasures.

The aims of the Kent Big Days Out are to raise awareness among local people of all the great places for visitors to go in the county and to celebrate the contribution Kent's tourism, leisure and hospitality businesses make to the local economy.

Ten local media partners actively supported the campaign providing extensive advance and on-the-day coverage in magazines and newspapers as well as on local websites, television and radio.

The free tickets were available from the Visit Kent website and through the county's visitor information centre network.

"We have had a tremendous response from our attractions and everyone who enjoyed visiting an attraction on the Kent Big Day Out," said Fran Warrington, [Head of Tourism, KCC]

"Research shows that more than 30 per cent of visitors to Kent stay with friends and relatives and rely on their hosts for personal recommendations of where to go and what to do while they are in the county.

"It is a campaign that has captured the imagination of our businesses, our media and our residents. I am confident it will grow year on year."