Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, has announced a funding increase of £750,000 to boost tourism in the capital in the lead up to Christmas and into the new year.

The fresh cash injection will mean that a total of £3.25m will now be spent over the next four months in order to promote London both at home and abroad, and it is expected that the drive will generate £70m for the city's economy.

Johnson made the announcement at the Visit London Awards following a meeting with industry figures at the end of November. He said: "Tourism is massively important for jobs and growth in London. By continuing to promote the city both nationally and internationally, I want to ensure London remains one of the world's most visited destinations."

Visit London is leading the public/private partnership, which is being funded by the London Development Agency. The tourism body's interim chief executive, Sally Chatterjee, said: "Despite undoubtedly tough times ahead, there are still major opportunities to promote the city to our key markets."

The initiative comes ahead of a busy year for London tourism, with new visitor experiences opening at existing attractions including the Old Royal Naval College, Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum and the Darwin Centre at the National History Museum.

London is also set to host a number of major sporting events in 2009, including the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, the ATP World Tour Finals tennis, and the ICC World Twenty20 Cricket.

Image: visitlondonimages/britainonview