Figures from the latest Labour Force Survey show that the tourism industry is helping to drive the UK’s economic recovery through job creation.

The numbers produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that total employment across the UK increased by 820,000 over 2013 – of which 120,000 jobs (15 per cent) were attributable to the UK tourism industry. With 39 per cent of these new tourism jobs going to people under the age of 30, the growth of the UK tourism industry is also one of the leading factors in the 20 per cent reduction in youth unemployment highlighted by the statistics.

“Over the last five years the UK tourism industry has shown that it is world leader, generating significantly increased export earnings and employment for the UK economy that has helped to pull the country out of recession,” said Tourism Alliance chair Ufi Ibrahim.

“What we need now is to work with government to develop policies on issues such as VAT, APD and visas that build on this performance”.

Last year was a record for inbound UK tourism with 33 million people visiting and spending £21bn in the UK economy during 2013. The first six months of 2014 have also been strong for the industry with ONS figures showing that visitor numbers to the UK this year are up a further seven per cent so far this year, suggesting further increases in tourism-related employment.