Kent Downs secures funding to spark new wave of cross-channel sustainable geotourism

Kent Downs National Landscape is pleased to announce we have secured funding from the British Embassy Paris through their Franco-British Call for Bids programme to strengthen our collaboration with our French partners, the Parc naturel régional des Caps et Marais d’Opale, as we continue to grow the Cross-Channel Geopark.

This support will help us bring people, ideas and landscapes together—uniting tourism businesses on both sides of the Channel to explore what sustainable geotourism can become across this extraordinary shared environment.

A landscape shaped together

The Cross-Channel Geopark celebrates one remarkable landscape, shared by two countries. From the rolling chalk of the Kent Downs to the sweeping cliffs of the Caps et Marais d’Opale, our regions are connected by deep-time geology, shared history and a spirit of collaboration that spans the Strait.

In November 2025, the Kent Downs and PNR Caps et Marais d’Opale submitted a joint application for UNESCO Global Geopark status. Assessors will visit in summer 2026, with a final decision expected in spring 2027.

The application may be in, but our story is still being written. The more we can demonstrate active partnerships, curious minds and committed businesses, the stronger our case for becoming a UNESCO Global Geopark.

How this funding will help us grow 

This funding gives us the opportunity to create a vibrant, Cross-Channel sustainable tourism group—a space for tourism businesses, guides and organisations from both sides of the Channel to learn, imagine and build together. 

It will allow us to:  

• Host online and in-person briefing and training sessions in February 2026, with tailored sessions in England and France. 

• Build shared understanding and confidence in sustainable tourism, helping businesses explore how geology, culture and place shape their visitor experience. 

• Develop toolkits and resources so tourism providers can easily weave the Geopark’s stories, textures and landscapes into what they offer. 

• Bring partners together at a Cross-Channel Geopark Sustainable Tourism Conference on Tuesday 10 March 2026 at the Maison du Parc in Le Wast, France. 

• Co-create a roadmap for a cross-channel sustainable tourism Strategy—an exciting, collaborative blueprint for the Geopark’s future. 

Why your involvement matters 

Sustainable geotourism invites people to feel a place. Its rocks, its history, its communities, and to care for it in return. For the Cross-Channel Geopark, this project is an opportunity to spark imagination, build resilience and showcase the power of partnership. 

Every business that steps forward adds to the picture UNESCO will see next summer: a living, breathing cross-border landscape with strong belief in what it can become. 

“This is our chance to show the world what makes our shared landscape so special. When businesses, communities and partners come together with curiosity and care, we create something far bigger than a project—we create a movement. This funding helps us take the next step, side by side, towards a truly united Cross-Channel Geopark.” 

Isabel Shaw, Head of Climate, Nature and Geopark delivery — Kent Downs National Landscape 

Join us!  

We welcome tourism businesses, visitor attractions, guides, accommodation providers and community organisations who want to be part of this journey and the new Cross-Channel Sustainable Tourism Group.  

If you’d like to be part of this exciting journey, email us at mail@kentdowns.org.uk to register your interest. 

By joining the Cross-Channel Geopark Tourism Group, you’ll be stepping into the full experience—taking part in the February 2026 briefing and training sessions and the Cross-Channel Geopark Tourism Conference in March.