KENT is poised to benefit from the Olympic bonanza that will bring thousands of visitors to the county, boost tourism and see hundreds of athletes based at training camps in the county.

Kent’s proximity to London is being seen as offering a golden opportunity for the county to cash in on a huge economic Olympic windfall in 2012.

Council leaders, MPs business chiefs and sports groups have all hailed London’s victory as good news, with widespread spin offs for the economy and sport.

It has already been predicted that as many 30,000 temporary jobs could be created across the county.

A massive injection of cash to improve and build sports facilities is also expected.

Cllr Alex King, KCC’s cabinet member for regeneration, said the benefits would be extensive.

He stressed: "The arrival of the world’s largest sporting event will have a very positive impact on Kent, creating some 30,000 temporary jobs and a boost for many businesses. By 2012, Kent will offer excellent opportunities, not only to the athletes and their support staff but also for visitors who will be well placed to use Kent as a base prior to the Games."

Kent’s "window of opportunity" was now fully open, Cllr King said. The Games and other developments would help to raise skills levels and improve the county’s economic performance.

Kent MP and shadow sports minister Hugh Robertson, who was in Singapore for the announcement, said: "It is absolutely fantastic news. I have absolutely no doubt there will be huge benefits for Kent, both economically and for sports in general, which will receive a massive boost."

He believed London edged out France because of its willingness to take risks. "The French opted for a safety first bid but ours was led by an athlete and had a different focus."

Kent marked the announcement by immediately contacting every one of the 202 national Olympic associations to set out what the county could offer in terms of training facilities and accommodation.

Chris Hespe, who leads KCC’s sports development unit and put together Kent’s campaign to support the London bid, said: "We are putting down a marker about what Kent can offer. It is not just about facilities but the fact that by 2012, high speedrail links from places like Ashford and Ebbsfleet will go directly into where the games are."

Kent had seen around £35million ploughed into new sports facilities in seven years and that was likely to be exceeded in the run up to 2012, he added.

Sittingbourne and Sheppey Labour MP Derek Wyatt called on council leaders and MPs to join forces to ensure Kent got the most out of the games.

"We need a group of MPs and KCC to drive the investment that is bound to be required in Kent. We have a lot to do."

It will be the first time the Olympics has been held in Britain since 1948.

London won a two-way battle against Paris at the IOC vote in Singapore after bids from Moscow, New York and Madrid were eliminated.

Paris had been favourites throughout the campaign but London's hopes were raised after an impressive presentation by Lord Coe, the bid chairman.

Both business and council leaders say the decision will give a massive boost to local industry, commerce and tourism.

Sandra Matthews-Marsh, chief executive of Kent Tourism Alliance, said: "It’s the biggest thing that’s happened to tourism in Kent in the last 100 years."

Early forecasts suggest that the Games will be worth many millions of pounds to the Kent economy.

The county will also be called upon to provide around 10,000 volunteers.

Businesses in the right sectors will be able to compete for contracts.

Tourism is set to benefit, with a million more visitors expected in 2012 than in a typical year.

The effects are expected to last long after the two-week sporting fiesta, with Kent becoming more recognised worldwide as a tourist destination.

Ms Matthews-Marsh stressed: "It’s the biggest opportunity and we’ve got to make the most of it. We will be forming a tourism group to look at the opportunities for 2012."

But she admitted that there were not enough hotel beds in the county and called on hotel groups to start thinking about buildling new outlets in Kent.

There would also be opportunities for Games’ visitors to come by cruise ship to Dover.

New Hitachi domestic Bullet trains are due to be in service by 2009. They will connect Ebbsfleet town centre to London St Pancras in 17 minutes, passing through Stratford and the planned Olympic Park.

KCC is expected to ask consultants to look in more detail at the likely benefits of the Games.

Officials are already talking about the possibility of new sporting venues, training and preparation areas, and athlete villages.

Malcolm Hyde, the CBI’s south east regional director, based in Sevenoaks, welcomed the decision, saying it was great news for Kent businesses.

"No doubt there will be a ripple effect coming out of London and I’m sure that will have positive ramifications for Kent firms," he said.

Meanwhile, sport is set to rise up the agenda in Kent following the success of London’s Olympic bid.

Cllr King said more sporting participation was vital for our young people and the Games would encourage more to take part.

KCC would look a the county’s sporting provision and he was certain that the county would have more venues by 2012. "That has to be one of our goals," he said.

Ian Lindsay, deputy chief executive at Kent Thameside Delivery Board, said: "As a central agency in the transformation of the Thames Gateway, we are thrilled at the decision to bring the Olympics to London in 2012.

"We will continue to work in a strong spirit of partnership, as Lord Coe’s team has done, to ensure Kent Thameside benefits from and contributes to all the opportunities this historic decision will bring.

"The 22 square miles in Kent Thameside are currently being redeveloped for the benefit of their existing and future communities.

"In 2012, we will be able to offer a selection of residential and sports accommodation and open space for Olympic training purposes in an ideal location for the games. "

Pam Alexander, chief executive of the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), said: "This is terrific news. It is an incredibly exciting time for sport in this country and in the South East."

New facilities, investment and tourism would bring huge benefits to everyone, she added.