Margate's Turner Contemporary wins top award

More than 300,000 people have visited Turner Contemporary since its opening in April

Within a year of its opening, the Turner Contemporary in Margate, Kent has won an international tourism award.

The British Guild of Travel Writers has presented the gallery with its Globe Award for best worldwide tourism project.

The gallery, designed by David Chipperfield, was also named the best UK tourism project.

Since its opening in April 2011, more than 300,000 people have visited the Margate gallery.

The Kiss

Turner Contemporary was nominated for the award by British Guild of Travel Writers member David Prest.

Mr Prest told judges the gallery had helped Margate "come alive with cafés, arty boutiques, retro-shops and old fishing shacks on the harbour which have been transformed into studios".

Victoria Pomery, director at Turner Contemporary, said: "We are delighted to have received these two prestigious awards from the British Guild of Travel Writers. It has been a fantastic opening seven months for Turner Contemporary."

Auguste Rodin's sculpture, The Kiss, is on display at Turner Contemporary until September next year.

In 2012 artist Tracey Emin, who grew up on Margate, will bring a solo exhibition to the gallery.