Visit Kent is celebrating a record number of applications for free tickets to this year's My Kent Big Weekend.

RECORD BREAKINGDEMAND FOR MY KENT BIG WEEKEND TICKETS

Visit Kent is celebrating a record number of applications for free tickets to this year’s My Kent Big Weekend, 17 and 18 March 2012

More than 79,500 applications had been received by the time the website closed for new entries at midnight on Monday (February 13) – 27,800 more than last year.

The applications will now be entered into a ballot for each of the 123 attractions available and the 16,500 free tickets allocated. Successful applicants will be notified by February 29.

More than 1,115,600 page views were recorded during the three weeks that the www.mykentbigweekend.co.uk website was live for applications. On average, people spent more than 11 minutes browsing and viewed at least 28 webpages while selecting attractions they would like to visit.

Sandra Matthews-Marsh, Visit Kent chief executive, said: “We have even exceeded our own high expectations. It is the sixth year we have held this special celebration of Kent for Kent people – showcasing our wealth of tourism, leisure and hospitality businesses to local residents.

“It is the first time that we have worked with our tourism partners in the Pas de Calais, Eurotunnel and Eurolines to celebrate our cross-Channel links which add so much value to Kent as a destination to our 56.6 million visitors each year. Those two trips alone attracted a total of 2,353 applications.

“My Kent Big Weekend clearly depends on the generosity of our many different attractions from golf courses to castles providing free tickets.

“But we also rely on the support of all our Kent media partners – magazines, newspapers, radio stations and websites – which have devoted so much energy to promoting the event to their readers and audiences right across the county.

Visit Kent launched the Kent Big Day Out, which expanded to a weekend last year, as a cornerstone of its preparations for 2012. The event aims to raise awareness of the wide range attractions across the county so that residents can pass on their personal top tips to family, friends and visitors about places to go for a great dayout.

“Thanks to this campaign, thousands of Kent people have been able to catch up with our many new attractions and developments at traditional favourites. They will be able to draw on their personal experiences to offer recommendations to their guests and visitors coming to the county during the London Games and for many years to come,” said Mrs Matthews-Marsh.

My Kent Big Weekend is being held on March 17 and 18 marking the end of the first English Tourism Week.