Inspirational, bookable, new visitor experiences in Deal, Dover and Sandwich are now ready for visitors to White Cliffs Country to enjoy this summer, 2021.
The new bookable visitor experiences follow visitor trends for personalised, local tourism and have been developed to engage visitors in the post-Covid world.
It comes after the UK Government’s lifting of most remaining Covid-19 restrictions in England and as school summer holidays begin, during which time a “staycation boom” of domestic holidaymaking is expected.
'Dastardly Deal' historic street theatre has been co-written by The History Project
New and exciting visitor experiences now ready to enjoy this summer in White Cliffs Country include:
- “Dastardly Deal” – historic street theatre in the heart of Deal’s ‘Smugglers’ Town’, just a pebble’s throw from Deal beach, inspired by the smuggling history of Deal. This original theatrical production has been written and produced by ReShake Theatre and The History Project, a Community Interest Company based in Deal that brings history to life through immersive tours, public talks, school engagement and community events. Dates are available to book throughout July and August.
- Coastal foraging tours by bicycle from The Wild Kitchen based in Deal. An example tour features a six mile cycle ride along White Cliffs Country’s coastline, stopping for edible molluscs and seaweeds, before exploring inland for wild edibles and followed by a gourmet feast with mussels cooked on the beach and sparkling botanical cocktails. Book for this summer via The Wild Kitchen events page online.
- New guided tours of White Cliffs Country from England Plus Tours: “Kent Coastal Experience”, which focuses on the unique natural features of the destination, its flora and fauna, the iconic White Cliffs of Dover, the English Channel and Samphire Hoe nature reserve; and “In Search of the Real James Bond”, which takes in the beauty of White Cliffs Country and some of its lesser-known connections with Ian Fleming, the creator of 007 – from the golf course where Auric Goldfinger played James Bond, to the home of Hugo Drax, to the missile site where Moonraker was launched. The tours are bookable via the website.
©England Plus Tours. Join their new tour "In Search Of The Real James Bond".
The new visitor experiences have been progressed through the EXPERIENCE programme launched by Visit Kent and part-funded by Dover District Council, which aims to boost sustainable tourism and promote visitor experiences that meet the growing demand for experiential tourism.
Tim Ingleton, Dover District Council’s Head of Inward Investment and Tourism, said: “It’s fantastic that these exciting new visitor experiences, which celebrate the unique history, coastal landscapes and food and drink of White Cliffs Country, are ready to book for visitors and residents this summer, as we emerge from a period of restrictions and enjoy a summer of domestic holidays. We look forward to further visitor experiences launching this autumn, embracing the opportunities of the season and augmenting White Cliffs Country’s all-year-round tourism offer. This supports our continued effort to reboot and rebuild our local tourism industry, which will in turn boost our visitor economy, recognised as one of the district’s most important assets.”
In addition to the White Cliffs Country EXPERIENCE projects, rural tourism businesses within White Cliffs Country have been developing products for Kent Downs AONB’s Countryside Experience Development Programme. The Countryside Experiences are due to launch later this year.
©The Wild Kitchen, Deal. Sip on botanical cocktails after foraging for ingredients in the countryside.
About EXPERIENCE
EXPERIENCE is a €23.3 million project co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (€16 million) and the Interreg France (Channel) England Programme, running across 3 counties in England and three regions of Northern France. In Kent, it’s being delivered by VisitKent and the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) with match-funding partners including Dover District Council.