Leisure companies are expected to expand their staff during this quarter, according to a new survey from Manpower. The Quarterly Survey of Employment Prospects found that despite talks of an economic downturn in the US, the UK leisure industry is anticipating to employ more staff during the second quarter of 2001. The survey, which has been conducted for 30 years, asked more than 2000 board directors, general managers and secretaries from 19 sectors across 12 regions whether they expected an increase, decrease or no change in staffing levels in the three months to the end of June 2001. The national average for job gains is 19, calculated by subtracting the percentage of companies expecting to decrease staff from the number expecting to increase staff, while the UK leisure industry was more positive with 30 job gains. This was a rise on last year's figure of 24. Manpower's managing director, Iain Herbertson, commented: Leisure employers in the UK appear to be sending out the message that a winded US economy, yo-yoing stocks, and a talk of a cut in interest rates is not dragging the leisure sector down yet.