Westmorland is No1 - Farron praises hospitality industry for their vital role in our economy

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has today thanked the local hospitality and tourism sector after research released by the British Hospitality Association showed that the sector delivered more than a quarter of all jobs created since 2010 across the UK economy. Westmorland and Lonsdale is now the parliamentary constituency with the highest percentage of people working in hospitality sector.

The report, titled "The Agenda for 300,000 New Jobs", provides the latest research showing how the hospitality and tourism industry is fuelling jobs growth in Britain and how it has moved up to 5th place overall in the World Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Rankings. However, the UK it is at the bottom of this league table on price competitiveness. The report indicates that 300,000 new jobs are possible by 2020 if government and industry work together. The key findings of the British Hospitality Association's report are:

How hotels, restaurants and caterers are fuelling jobs growth

• Hospitality and tourism now accounts for over 10% of the UK's workforce and is now the 4th largest employing industry in the UK, its growth significantly outpacing the rest of the economy

• The industry generated over one quarter of all new jobs created since 2010 - (153,000 jobs) and is uniquely placed to generate new jobs for the 18-24 age group

• Westmorland and Lonsdale (in The Lake District) is the parliamentary constituency with the highest percentage of people working in hospitality

• The UK has improved its overall world travel and tourism ranking and moved from 11th position in 2009 to 5th in 2013

Tourism is vital to the Cumbrian economy. In 2011 Cumbria had 40.1 million visitors, made up of 35 million day trippers and 5.1 million overnight visitors. This brought in £2.2 billion to the region's economy and provided employment for 33,090 full time equivalent (FTE) posts. As many tourism jobs are actually part time, or seasonal, the total number of people in tourism jobs is estimated at 56,900.

Tim has for many months been running a campaign to boost tourism and has been seeking to promote Cumbria as an 'attack brand' for Britain's tourism industry. Tim has also called for the establishment of a cross-Cabinet committee in order to coordinate government policies affecting the industry.

Tim said: "Tourism plays an absolutely vital role in our local economy. It is therefore essential that we use the legacy of the Olympic Games to best effect, by ensuring we have a strategy for promoting the Lake District abroad as a tourist destination. Britain has so much to offer foreign tourists, but to get them here in the first place we need to put our best 'products' in the shop window to attract them.

"That's why I want the UK to designate Cumbria and the Lakes as an attack brand for an international tourism campaign. Using the Lakes as an attack brand will boost tourism across Britain and be a huge benefit to our local tourism industry here in Cumbria.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg added: "The British service sector is world beating and one of many jewels in our crown. Millions of guests were welcomed to London 2012 and received the gold standard in hospitality. Through tough economic times, the industry has stood firm, creating thousands of new jobs and bringing vital tourism trade to the UK. Jobs and growth are my number one priority and I thoroughly welcome the ambition shown by the BHA to create nearly 300,000 jobs in the hospitality sector by 2020."