UKinbound, the trade association for the UK’s inbound tourism businesses, has welcomed the comments made by British Airways chief Willie Walsh earlier this week.

Walsh spoke out of the importance of Heathrow for inbound tourism and for the whole of the UK economy as Government's three-month consultation on a third runway and sixth terminal at Heathrow came to an end on Wednesday.

Walsh said: “The importance of inbound tourism to the UK and to the economies of the developing world is undeniable.

“The service sector accounts for 70 per cent of UK GDP, and the UK is the world’s second largest exporter of services. Good air links are essential to success in a global economy.”

On the environmental impact of airport expansion, Walsh said: "The reality is that aviation produces about two per cent of global CO2 emissions and, allowing for industry growth, is forecast by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to be producing about three per cent by 2050.

“In comparison, road transport generates about six times as much CO2 and power generation and deforestation around 10 times as much."

Stephen Dowd chief executive of UKinbound said: “It’s time to stop demonising air travel and aviation as the great polluter and have a serious conversation about how we can reduce the environmental impact of tourism in general. Tourism is incredibly important to the UK and to world economy so to ensure it can continue to develop in a sustainable way is of vital importance.”