Spending by tourists visiting the UK jumped by a fifth in the three months to February compared to the year before.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show nearly 7 million people visited the UK during the period generating £4.55 billion while they were here, up 21 per cent on last year.

Visitors from Europe made up 2.2 million of these while 1.75 million came from the US, according to the figures from the International Passenger Survey.

Visit Britain’s chief executive Sandie Dawe said the figures “continue to prove that tourism has a key role to play in the wider success of the British economy”.

“And tourism is a major job creator for Britain – for every 18 Chinese visitors who come to Britain an additional job is created in tourism,” she added.